Commonwealth unveils framework to help Bangladesh implement Living Lands Charter

Ansar Ahmed Ullah
Contributing Editor, Shottobani

London: A new implementation framework was launched on 3 December to facilitate coordinated action among the 56 Commonwealth countries, including Bangladesh, on land, biodiversity and climate challenges, directly impacting a quarter of the world’s land area.

The Commonwealth Secretariat unveiled the Living Lands Charter Implementation Framework at a high-level event in Dubai, organised alongside the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28).

The event comes after extensive consultations with Commonwealth countries since the adoption of the Living Lands Charter last year. It offered Commonwealth leaders, ministers, and development partners an opportunity to learn about the framework, share country experiences and foster collaboration on land issues.

 The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, said, “Our Commonwealth encompasses a quarter of the world’s land area and is home to a third of the world’s mega-biodiverse countries. The impact of climate change is increasingly severe across our countries. Food insecurity is increasing. Soil is depleting. The sheer scale of these challenges compels us to lead with bold action.”

She added, “With this implementation framework, we are taking a giant leap forward. It will leverage the combined strength of the Commonwealth through thematic action working groups – learning from each other and spurring one another on towards systems change and a better future for all.”

The framework takes a system-wide approach towards implementing the Living Lands Charter through five thematic action areas: climate-resilient agriculture for food security; soil and water conservation; sustainable green cover and biodiversity; carbon neutral and climate-resilient livestock rearing and animal husbandry; and indigenous and local people for climate-resilient development.