DHAKA, Oct 12, 2021 (BSS) - The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), presided by Bangladesh, has welcomed creation of UN Special Rapporteur to protect and promote Human Rights (HR) in the context of Climate Change. 

  The position of Special Rapporteur was created through a resolution at the 48th Session of the UN's Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva on October 8. 

  Foreign minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen, speaking for the CVF Presidency, has welcomed the decision and said it was a proud achievement for the peoples of the world's most climate threatened nations, where many of them are being deprived of their rights to life and decent living due to climate change related displacement, a foreign ministry press release said here today.

  He thanked the HRC Members for supporting the long overdue and critical resolution to create the position that has been pursuing by Bangladesh as CVF president as one of the top priorities. 

  Dr. Momen also expressed his sincere thanks to the CVF Secretariat for their efficient support and useful advice to the CVF Presidency and all Member States of the CVF. 

  The CVF's Thematic Ambassador for Vulnerability Saima Wazed, Thematic Ambassador for Ambition Mohamed Nasheed and Thematic Ambassador for Renewable Energy Tosi Mpanu Mpanu also welcomed the decision taken by the UN HRC. 

  The new mandate responds to repeated calls, first initiated by the CVF in 2019, and from wide-ranging climate-vulnerable countries, small island developing countries, least developed countries, low-lying countries, and landlocked countries at the forefront of the climate-change crisis. 

  The resolution adopted at the Human Rights Council on October 8 emphasises the need for a continued focus on addressing the adverse consequences of climate change for all, particularly in developing countries and for the people whose situation is most vulnerable to climate change.

  A joint statement led by Bangladesh at the 46th HRC session in March this year calling for the creation of the special rapporteur was supported by 54 states. 

  In the CVF nations, 1.2 billion people are facing threats to the enjoyment of their fundamental human rights through climatic consequences including sea-level rise, river erosion, salinity increase, floods and draughts that claim lives, livelihoods and displace people from their ancestral homes and traditional jobs.