Staff Reporter:
Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has said that climate solutions can no longer remain in the hands of profit-centric economies; rather, they must be built under the leadership of youth and on the foundation of justice. She said, “We have created an economic system that is destroying nature and ecosystems, endangering the environment, and pushing our very existence to the brink.”
She made these remarks on Sunday (Bangladesh time) while delivering the keynote address at an event titled “The Role of Youth, Government and Social Business in Climate Solutions”, held at the Bangladesh Pavilion in the Blue Zone of the UN Climate Conference COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
Referring to the ‘Three Zero’ vision of Nobel Peace laureate and Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus – zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero carbon emissions – the Adviser said,
“To achieve these goals, today’s world must pledge toward zero waste and zero and responsible resource consumption. Our young generation must build an economic framework where there is zero waste, zero carbon, and no personal gain beyond basic needs.”
The Adviser further said that social business is not a theory but a real solution. This type of business does not accumulate profits; rather, every taka goes back into solving problems. It is the most effective tool in tackling the climate crisis. She added that it is not enough to educate youth merely to seek jobs – they must be equipped to create employment themselves.
The session was moderated by Mohammad Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, Director General of the Office of the Chief Adviser. Keynote speaker Mariana Malufe, Chief Impact Officer and Partner at NUDE, also addressed the event.
The panel discussion included Francisco Vicente, CEO and Partner at Yunus Social Business; Dione Manetti, Programme Lead at Climate Ventures Brazil; Saville Alves, Project Coordinator at Instituto Clima de Eleição; and Bangladeshi youth climate activist and Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, Sohanur Rahman.
The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of Bangladesh and Yunus Social Business Brazil. It was attended by young climate organisers and innovators from Bangladesh and Latin America.
