To promote the Goal 12 of Sustainable Development Goals, which relates to sustainable consumption and production patterns, and also to raise awareness on food, water and electricity consumption and waste among Dhaka dwellers, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in association with Action Aid Bangladesh has launched a new campaign on Sustainable Consumption on Sunday.
Dhaka, with over 18 million people, is the largest city in Bangladesh and one of the most populated cities in the world. Large number of the city’s population are considered as middle and upper middle class, who are neither behaviorally habituated nor oriented on sustainable consumption and continue to exploit Dhaka’s limited natural resources.
UNDP Bangladesh launched this campaign to bring together youth from schools and universities, supported by the Action Aid volunteer groups (Activista2) and ‘Poriborton Chai’ to change the behavior pattern of the habitants of the city, mostly who are in Dhaka North City Corporation, focusing on food, water and electricity consumption. Several activities are planned to run during the campaign.
Attending the launching ceremony as the chief guest, Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Principal Coordinator, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said “If we want to lead a better life and to leave a better city for our next generation, we should promote sustainable consumption, which is also a key to achieve SDG.” As the city of Dhaka continues to grow, there are many challenges that lie ahead to promote responsible consumption and production, this campaign engaging youth, will certainly benefit the city, he further added.
Khurshid Alam, Assistant Country Director, UNDP Bangladesh in his remarks said, “Sustainable Consumption will help minimise climate change effects and reduce environmental degradation in Dhaka and also in the country. This campaign hopefully will be an effective approach towards a clean and green Dhaka city, and also will encourage sustainable consumption behavior among the citizens to meet the increasing energy demand of the country.”
Farah Kabir, Country Director of Action Aid Bangladesh said, “Action Aid is really proud to be a part of this time befitting campaign led by youth. Changing production and consumption patterns of the residents of the city will also have the potential to contribute to address the urban challenges like water logging, load shedding etc.”
The campaign will analyze the gap between wasteful and sustainable consumption among the middle and higher income community in Dhaka North City Corporation and aware them through campaign, promotion and knowledge sharing for Sustainable Consumption and Production.
Among others, Abdullah Al- Mohsin Chowdhury, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest, M Asadul Islam, Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports and Nahim Razzaq MP also spoke in the launching event. Later there was a cycle rally inaugurated by the Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports.
