Professor Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder

The adverse effects of global climate change are becoming increasingly clear. Its impact is being felt in every part of the world today, but it is hitting low-lying and vulnerable countries like Bangladesh the hardest. Extreme weather events like heat waves, cyclones, heavy rains, floods, river erosion, droughts and rising sea levels are now a daily reality. Scientists warn that the average temperature of the world is increasing rapidly, and achieving the 1.5-degree Celsius target of the Paris Agreement is currently in doubt. However, Bangladesh has contributed only about 0.3 to global carbon emissions. Yet we have to pay the biggest price for climate change. In this context, the United Nations Climate Change Conference is very important for countries like Bangladesh. The COP30 conference (scheduled to be held in 2025) is expected to become a turning point, because the decisions taken there can bring positive changes in global emission reduction, adaptation measures and damage control.

This is the first time since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 that a major conference like COP is being held under the presidency of Brazil. One of the most important agendas of this year's COP30 will be to create a transparent and binding roadmap for global emission reductions. Many countries have still failed to implement their commitments to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. Despite being the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, developed countries have not yet adequately accelerated their emission reductions. Many countries have not yet been able to exit the fossil fuel-dependent economy. Therefore, COP30 will focus on setting deadlines for large economies and high-emitting countries, sector-specific emission reduction plans, regular evaluations, and creating a mandatory accountability framework. Mere promises are not enough; ensuring implementation will be the main challenge.

Increasing the use of renewable energy and energy transition is expected to be another major topic of discussion at COP30. Currently, the largest share of global energy is fossil fuel-dependent. However, renewable energy technology, knowledge and financing are mainly under the control of developed countries. As a result, developing countries are gradually lagging behind in the use of renewable energy. Therefore, decisions such as Just Energy Transition, technology transfer, supply of environmentally friendly industrial equipment, development of skilled human resources and ensuring low-interest investment are expected at COP30. It will never be possible to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement without reducing global emissions and providing equal opportunities to developing countries in sustainable energy systems. One of the main topics of COP30 will also be the full implementation of the Loss and Damage Fund and the establishment of an effective structure. Although this fund was officially launched at COP28, many of its issues are still unclear. It is important to make effective decisions on how much money which country will pay, how much which country will receive, how it will receive it, how the damage will be verified, etc. In the most affected countries, countless people have already lost their homes, livelihoods, agricultural land and sources of drinking water due to climate-related disasters. Therefore, making the Loss and Damage Fund fast, hassle-free and effective for developing countries could be the top achievement of COP30. In addition, increasing adaptation financing is another central issue of COP30. For countries that are at risk of climate change, it is very important to prepare for future disasters. Damage reduction is not possible without developing coastal protection, water conservation, salinity management, green infrastructure, disaster risk reduction systems and climate-resilient agriculture. Therefore, allocating large amounts of money to the Adaptation Fund and the Green Climate Fund, receiving money on easy terms and ensuring structural transparency will be a major topic of discussion at the conference.

In addition, carbon markets and technology transfer will also be of particular importance in the discussions at the COP30 conference. Many countries are getting the opportunity to benefit financially from carbon credit trading, but the lack of transparent policies and evaluations means there is a possibility of risks and irregularities. Therefore, making decisions to make the carbon market accountable and friendly to developing countries is also important for COP30.

COP30 holds special significance in the case of Bangladesh, because even though the country is close to zero in global carbon emissions, it has been bearing the brunt of the damage caused by climate change for almost several decades. Therefore, its biggest demand at COP30 should be ensuring the fair financing, technology support and compensation for damage. First, Bangladesh should demand prompt and appropriate funding from the Loss and Damage Fund, because the country's climate change-related losses are increasing day by day. Village after village is being lost to river erosion, a crisis of clean water is emerging in coastal areas, agricultural production is being affected and millions of people are becoming climate refugees. Adaptation financing is one of Bangladesh's biggest needs. Bangladesh should also raise the demand for ensuring a transparent and fair carbon market so that developing countries are not subject to fraud or complications and receive real financial benefits from carbon trading.
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The writer is Professor and Dean, Faculty 
of Science, Stamford University, and Joint Secretary, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA)