Professor Saleemul Huq, a distinguished climate change specialist and the director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), passed away on Saturday night in Dhaka. He was 71.
He died from a massive cardiac arrest around 10pm at his Gulshan residence, according to family sources.
His namaz-e-janaza will take place at Gulshan Society Mosque after Asr prayers.
He was a professor at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) in addition to being the director of ICCAD.
In a Facebook post, ICCAD wrote: "A visionary leader who was not only the torch bearer for Bangladesh`s fight against Climate Change but for the entire global community, his unmatched legacy will remain as a shining example for years and generations to come."
France Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marie Masdupuy tweeted, "He was not only an eminent personality of Bangladesh, but a worldwide authority constantly working to wake up our conscience and advising us to study and base advocacy on science. Rest in Peace, Professor."
Climate scientist Saleemul Huq has been named one of ten scientists of 2022 by Nature, the leading international science journal.
Dr. Saleemul was born in 1952 and received his early education in Germany, Indonesia, and Kenya.
He later earned a BSc in Botany from Imperial College at London University in the United Kingdom in 1975, as well as a DIC and a PhD in Botany from the same institution in 1978.
He was a climate change, environment, and development expert. He worked significantly on the interconnections between climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development from the perspective of developing countries, particularly the least developed countries (LDCs).
He was a lead author of the chapter on Adaptation and Sustainable Development in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change`s Third Assessment Report (IPCC), and one of two coordinating lead authors of the chapter on `Inter-relationships between adaptation and mitigation` in the IPCC`s Fourth Assessment Report (2007).
Dr. Huq attended all sessions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP).
He was an active member of the UNFCCC Least Developed Countries (LDC) group as an adviser on adaptation, loss and damage, and climate finance, and he provided training to LDC negotiators.
He was also a board member of the UNFCCC`s Climate Vulnerability Forum.
The Government of Bangladesh honored him with the 2020 National Environment Award for his contributions to environmental development.
Huq was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to international climate change mitigation.
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