The rhetoric of change
The same old stories of bus robbery, anarchy in the transport sector and occasional safe road movement can't create an urge to find lasting solutions. Nobody, however, loves a poor situation. That Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg doesn't like the way his company's share price and advertisement revenue fell recently, is another issue. He has lost a huge audience and money ($232 billion in a single day) equivalent to more than half of Bangladesh's gross domestic product! Destiny and Evaly also tried to make fortunes assuming continued growth and all such entities wouldn't expect derailment from the path of hypnotising customers. Leaders love to talk about changes as did Barack Obama with his campaign slogan 'Change we believe in'. His presidency could neither reduce America's defence expenditure nor trim down the US debts. Everybody is not Mao Xe Dong, Winston Churchill or Ayatullah Ruhullah Khomeini who would stick to their ideological guns to reach the goal post. Ordinary minds are nevertheless scared of a change, not just for fear of the unknown but for the experience that their age runs out. It is the masses who want to get rid of a situation when they've scope in a democratic setup to approve reform agenda. However, those who promise a change are often barriers to it. And, corrupt public officials' advice to start practicing honesty only generates laughter. The violence in union parishad polls indicates that election loss may lead to loss of privilege. The authorities apparently apprehend that application of rules of the game may unleash unwanted consequences. A section of civil society members and political elements are sharing ideas on how to constitute a strong Election Commission to hold free and fair general elections next time. Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud has come up with one suggestion in a social media post: The persons who do not have the longing for higher positions as the ultimate objective of life and who have courage to resign can serve best. He insists that the search committee has to set the goal of finding persons of high integrity and take pains to accomplish the job.
India targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, says Modi
India’s economy will become carbon neutral by the year 2070, the country’s prime minster has announced at the COP26 climate crisis summit in Glasgow. The target date is two decades beyond what scientists say is needed to avert catastrophic climate impacts. India is the last of the world’s major carbon polluters to announce a net-zero target, with China saying it would reach that goal in 2060, and the United States and the European Union aiming for 2050.
COP26: What climate summit means for one woman in Bangladesh
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Why China's climate policy matters to us all
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Deliver on promises, developing world tells rich at climate talks
A crucial U.N. conference heard calls on its first day for the world's major economies to keep their promises of financial help to address the climate crisis, while big polluters India and Brazil made new commitments to cut emissions. World leaders, environmental experts and activists all pleaded for decisive action to halt the global warming which threatens the future of the planet at the start of the two-week COP26 summit in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Monday. The task facing negotiators was made even more daunting by the failure of the Group of 20 major industrial nations to agree ambitious new commitments at the weekend.