8 April 2021
Mr. John F. Kerry
United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
Washington D.C., United States
CC: Mr. Earl R. Miller, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
Dear Mr. Kerry
We would like to start by thanking President Biden’s commitment to the global climate movement and by congratulating the United States for rejoining the Paris Agreement. We also appreciate President Biden’s effort to organize the Leaders Summit on Climate, hence looking forward to a stronger concerted climate action. These are certainly first-hand examples of the Biden administration’s deep concern on the global climate crisis.
As much as we appreciate those efforts, truth be told, those were long overdue. The United States should have taken this leadership role long ago, but unfortunately, international cooperation on climate was deprioritised by the US for several years. The United States is currently one of the top emitters in the world, accounting for 15% of the global CO2 emission (IEA, 2018). However, the USA is the all time largest and worst GHG emitter on the planet if cumulative CO2 emission since 1750 is taken into account (CarbonBrief, 2019). As the top cumulative emitter, the US bears a greater imperative for curbing its CO2 output and a greater moral responsibility for the impacts of global warming, for which unfortunately, countries like Bangladesh are now suffering.
For decades the US has propped fossil fuel projects all over the world with devastating impacts on local communities and the climate. It is time for the US to turn their backs on their polluting pasts and become true climate leaders by immediately ending all support for fossil fuel projects overseas. Thanks to President Biden though for prioritising galvanizing efforts by the major economies to reduce emissions to keep a limit to warming of 1.5 degree within reach.
Bangladesh, being a climate handicapped nation, loses 1% of its GDP each year to extreme weather events, which will be around 9% by the end of the century. By 2050, 17% of the country’s coastline will go underwater displacing around 30 million people. 6 million have already been climate displaced in this country, yet it is hosting 1.1 million Rohingya refugees. Despite Bangladesh’s little contribution to global emission, it is bearing most of the consequences for which the US is partially responsible. We agree with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that “it is time to address the climate injustice” (Diplomat, 2021).
Despite all the climate risk, Bangladesh is now one of the fastest growing economies and it continues to shock the world with its huge adaptation and resilient capacity. However, the country is still heavily dependent on fossil fuel - especially in the power sector to meet its growing power demand for the manufacturing industry. The energy-mix in power generation is overwhelmingly fossil-fuel based - around 90% of total generation capacity is based on gas, liquid fuel and coal (BPDB, 2020). One main reason behind this is all the global financiers are investing in fossil fuel rather than focusing on clean energy transformation which is an urgent need. Now that the government has decided to cut short its coal power projects (The Daily Star, 2020), US tech giants such as General Electric have been negotiating to sell more of its gas technology, potentially paving the way for more US LNG exports to the country. Gas is neither clean nor cheap, so the Biden administration must stop treating it like a bridge fuel.
Hence, we urge that:
- the United States must push up the Global Climate Finance which is falling far short of $100 billion pledges at Paris: The Annex-1 countries including the United States never met their pledge of providing $100 billion annually for adaptation and mitigation through the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This amount is not a grant or donation, it is the part of ecological debt which the developed countries owe to the developing nations. So, we demand our legitimate reparations from the United States and hope that the Biden Administration will fulfill their commitment.
- the United States must formulate an enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with ambitious emission reduction not only within the territory but also beyond the boundaries wherever US economies have a carbon footprint. The US has to reduce emissions from its investments globally in accordance with its "common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities".
- the US financial institutions must stop fossil fuel finance: Four US banks - JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi Bank, and Bank of America - are the world’s four biggest lenders and underwriters to the fossil fuel industry since the Paris Agreement. These US financial institutions are essentially undermining President Biden’s pledge to the Paris Agreement and leadership towards a decarbonized society. If we are to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, the US must end fossil finance.
- the US leads the fossil fuel divestment movement: Over a thousand institutions globally worth almost 8 trillion USD have committed to divest from the world’s biggest oil, coal and gas companies (Gofossilfree.org, 2021). Unfortunately, US investors and technology suppliers fall short on the global commitment list and are still continuing its business helping to expand fossil-fuel based power projects globally including Bangladesh. We expect to see they are withdrawing themselves from this dirty energy business immediately.
- the US takes a leadership role for a global transition to a new clean energy economy: The US is home to one of the largest and fastest-growing renewable energy markets, with advanced technology innovations, creating job opportunities and boosting economic growth. We urge the US financiers and tech giants to get involved with renewable opportunities in Bangladesh to serve the mutual interests of both countries to build a decarbonized society.
It is indeed time to act and the world is watching and waiting for the US to take the climate leadership once and for all.
