Coastal children calls for climate plans

Speakers at the 6th Annual Coastal Children’s Climate Conference in Khulna have called for climate plans and decisions to be made with children, not merely for them, stressing the need to incorporate the real-life experiences and opinions of children living in climate-vulnerable coastal areas.

They also urged authorities to create greater opportunities for local-level financing for climate adaptation, rehabilitation, and addressing climate-induced loss and damage.

The two-day conference began on Tuesday at the CSS Ava Centre in Khulna under the theme “Child Leadership for Climate Resilience.” Jagrata Juba Shangha (JJS) and the Coastal Climate Children’s Forum jointly organised the event.

Addressing the inaugural session as chief guest, Khulna City Corporation Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju said coastal communities have suffered repeated losses from cyclones, tidal surges and other disasters over the past three to four decades.

“Relief and rehabilitation measures are taken after every disaster, but these have not provided a permanent solution,” he said, stressing the need for long-term and coordinated plans for rehabilitation and disaster management.

He said many people displaced from coastal areas by climate change have moved to Khulna city and are now living in difficult conditions in informal settlements, where children face serious challenges in education, sanitation, safe housing and livelihood opportunities.

To address the situation, he called for alternative employment opportunities, promotion of salt-tolerant crops, conservation of biodiversity and sustainable rehabilitation programmes.

The KCC administrator said relief after a disaster cannot be a substitute for long-term rehabilitation. Although various government and non-government initiatives have been taken in the past, many were not implemented in a coordinated and planned manner, he said.