DOT Desk: DHAKA, Sept 19, 2022 (BSS) – Speakers at a workshop have put emphasis on the importance of the regular production of environmental statistics of the highest possible quality.They made such observations at the opening session of the workshop on “Environmental Statistics and GIS Integration for Natural Resource (Capital) Accounts to Measure Green Growth in Bangladesh” jointly organized by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the World Bank. The three-day workshop took place on September 16-19, 2022,reports BSS. The workshop explores a range of evolving technologies for collecting more and improved environmental data to support natural resource (capital) accounting and nature-smart policymaking for green growth in Bangladesh.Dr. Shahnaz Arefin, Secretary, Statistics and Informatics Division, Ministry of Planning attended the workshop as the Chief Guest, said a press release today.Speaking on the occasion, Shahnaz said, “We need Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) attainment, but the SDGs require an equal emphasis on environmental protection and economic development.
Environmental degradation is a burning issue, but the severity and impact is not yet well measured. “Where we are today is a comparison from yesterday, and we need accurate data to give us a better understanding of where we will be tomorrow, especially in the context of climate change and environmental degradation. So having robust environmental statistics is very important. As this work is multidisciplinary and multifaceted, we call for a convergence of different organizations and agencies’ workflows.”The government stakeholders emphasized the fact that the environment and development nexus is very strong and interrelated, thus environmental statistics would become mandatory and urgent for understanding and monitoring the progress of green growth, the SDGs, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and the 8th Five Year Plan.
Md. Rafiqul Islam, Project Director of the Strengthening Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Statistics (ECDS) Project, BBS said, “The workshop creates an opportunity for Bangladesh to advance its implementation of the ‘Bangladesh Environmental Statistics Framework (BESF) 2016-2030’. Now we have to plan how BBS can successfully institutionalize and operationalize natural resource (capital) accounting for measuring green growth indicators of Bangladesh in partnership with ministries, divisions, departments and organizations.”