PM calls for immediate global climate action at UN meeting

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has urged the international community to take immediate and collective action to address the accelerating impacts of climate change, warning that up to 18 per cent of the country’s coastal areas could be submerged by the end of the century.

Addressing the High-Level Meeting on Climate Action and Just Transition in New York on Wednesday, Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh contributes less than 0.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions but remains one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations.

Tarique outlined the severe economic and environmental toll climate change has already taken on Bangladesh, saying loss and damage had reached the equivalent of 1 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and severely threatened food security.

He said the government had allocated nearly US$3.19 billion for climate adaptation in its latest budget. However, he stressed that without international support, Bangladesh faced the risk of severe structural damage.

Detailing the country’s adaptation initiatives, Rahman said Bangladesh plans to plant 250 million trees over the next five years.

The country is also re-excavating around 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals, while implementing the Padma Barrage and Teesta Barrage Master Plan to retain water, reduce flood risks, revive wetlands and recharge groundwater supplies.

Bangladesh also aims to meet 20 per cent of its electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030, while promoting green industries, including jute products, eco-friendly transport, waste-to-energy initiatives and a circular economy, alongside a national carbon market.

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Stressing that no nation can succeed in isolation, Rahman called for collective action based on the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities.

He outlined five urgent global actions: maintaining the 1.5°C global warming limit under the Paris Agreement through global emissions cuts; ensuring predictable and accessible adaptation finance; enabling a just climate transition through climate-smart technologies; expanding renewable energy through capacity-building and technology transfer; and fully implementing and regularly replenishing the Loss and Damage Fund.

Tarique Rahman concluded by seeking partnerships to help Bangladesh implement its plans for a safer and more sustainable future.