<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>The climate crisis has been viewed as one of the greatest challenges facing the world today</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>and one that requires a global response. For Bangladesh, which has borne the brunt of climate</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>change, the most impactful environmental issue that needs addressing is the crisis of</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>deforestation. In such circumstances, a bottom-up and an economy-wide approach that</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>incorporates expansion through trade on clean technologies as a complement to renewable</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>energy and afforestation measures may offer the best sustainable development.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries in the world, has among other</div><div style="text-align: justify;">things been relatively abundant in forests and wildlife but now has depressingly low rates of</div><div style="text-align: justify;">tropical deforestation. It is estimated that forest cover in the country is now between 15.78%</div><div style="text-align: justify;">and 17.31% of the land area, significantly below the global average. This crisis is the end</div><div style="text-align: justify;">result of many variables: rising population’s increase in the need of land, increasing</div><div style="text-align: justify;">agricultural land use, and dependency on forests for fuel and timber.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The aftermath is equally devastating. By releasing stored carbon dioxide gas into the</div><div style="text-align: justify;">atmosphere, deforestation fuels climate change. In addition, it reduces and often completely</div><div style="text-align: justify;">wipes out biological diversity, causes soil erosion, and diminishes natural barriers to natural</div><div style="text-align: justify;">disasters including floods and cyclones – to which particularly low-lying countries like</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh are highly prone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this context, trade policies stand out in encouraging economic growth without necessarily</div><div style="text-align: justify;">impairing environmental objectives. Trade in sustainable products, eco–labeled products, and</div><div style="text-align: justify;">collaboration with other countries can lay the foundation for sustainable development</div><div style="text-align: justify;">strategies in Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trade can combat deforestation indirectly through promoting sustainable imports, for</div><div style="text-align: justify;">example. For example, monoculture farming practices in Bangladesh’s agricultural and</div><div style="text-align: justify;">textile industries lead to considerable deforestation. Eco-certifications such as Fair Trade,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rainforest Alliance and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifiable standards can lure off</div><div style="text-align: justify;">producers towards such practices.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such certified products not only promote responsible resource use but also meet the</div><div style="text-align: justify;">increasing global market for such products. For instance, the international market for jute,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">tea, and timber products stemming from Bangladesh could be more competitive in the more</div><div style="text-align: justify;">environmentally aware economies of Europe and North America if the products were of a</div><div style="text-align: justify;">sustainable source.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh also imports huge amounts of timber, palm oil and paper which are consecutive</div><div style="text-align: justify;">causes of deforestation in the originating countries. This can enhance Bangladesh&amp;#39;s</div><div style="text-align: justify;">contribution in reducing deforestation. Policies mandating certificates and standard tracks</div><div style="text-align: justify;">have an advantage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh has prospects to incorporate environmental sustainability into its trade deals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is also the possibility of bilateral and multilateral negotiations which could focus on</div><div style="text-align: justify;">developing mechanisms for sustainable forest management, afforestation programs, and</div><div style="text-align: justify;">green technology transfer. Joining in such programs as UN REDD+, which compensates the</div><div style="text-align: justify;">countries for their efforts in deforestation reduction, would be a significant source of funds</div><div style="text-align: justify;">and expertise.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Furthermore, working with other countries in the region to promote and implement</div><div style="text-align: justify;">sustainable trade practices within South Asia may enhance the success of such initiatives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such a synergy would ensure that countries’ commitment to eco-friendly trade does not only</div><div style="text-align: justify;">prevent deforestation but will also foster a viable market for sustainable commodities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, for economic diversification to work, the dependence on the utilization of forest</div><div style="text-align: justify;">resources must be cut back. Trade policies should promote dealers in non-forest based</div><div style="text-align: justify;">enterprises which include renewable energy, eco-friendly agriculture, and eco-tourism. For</div><div style="text-align: justify;">instance, investing in the export of solar and wind energy technologies can decrease the</div><div style="text-align: justify;">demand on the natural resources while expanding opportunities to make profits from the</div><div style="text-align: justify;">economy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, there is a great potential to enhance the living practice of the people who</div><div style="text-align: justify;">engage in deforestation through agroforestry and organic farming. In this regard, Bangladesh</div><div style="text-align: justify;">has the economic potential to make a variety of interventions, such as offering tax breaks,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">subsidies, or export incentives to firms that implement environmentally sound practices.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is a fair statement to assume that the application of trade policies to combat deforestation</div><div style="text-align: justify;">does not come without its complications. The difficulties of managing economic growth and</div><div style="text-align: justify;">the safeguarding of the environment requires careful consideration and the involvement of</div><div style="text-align: justify;">relevant stakeholders. People and industries who are dependent on the forest resources may in</div><div style="text-align: justify;">fact provide resistance against change, hence creating a need for policies that aim to alter the</div><div style="text-align: justify;">means of earning livelihood and not the economic activity itself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Additionally, it is also true that good governance is very important for the strict</div><div style="text-align: justify;">implementation of the sustainability criteria set forth. Continuous and real time independent</div><div style="text-align: justify;">monitoring of various stakeholders, inter-agency coordination, and campaigns to inform the</div><div style="text-align: justify;">population is an integral part of this strategy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For Bangladeshi products, the relevant trade market serves as an obstacle as the competition</div><div style="text-align: justify;">is global. In countries where the final products must be low cost, practices like eco-</div><div style="text-align: justify;">certification and sustainable production which raise unit cost of Bangladeshi items, cannot be</div><div style="text-align: justify;">sustained. In time however, as eco-friendly products appeal to a broader audience, the costs</div><div style="text-align: justify;">incurred in the brief period of implementing sustainable practices will eventually be</div><div style="text-align: justify;">outweighed by their benefits.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A trade and trade policy is also an important weapon that Bangladesh can use in its battle</div><div style="text-align: justify;">against both deforestation and climate change. Implementing commerce in a way that does</div><div style="text-align: justify;">not compromise the stated sustainability goals of the country will enable reduced carbon</div><div style="text-align: justify;">emissions, encourage conservation of biodiversity, and promote climate adaptive capacity all</div><div style="text-align: justify;">the while promoting growth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Md Nasir Uddin Mahmud</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Alumni of Notre Dame College ,Dhaka</div>