Global coop key to climate goals
Bangladesh has urged member countries of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to strengthen international cooperation in addressing environmental degradation and climate change to help secure a sustainable and liveable planet for future generations.
Speaking during the second-day session of the GEF Assembly in Samarkand on Friday, State Minister for Environment, Forest
and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam stressed the importance of collective action in tackling increasingly complex environmental challenges.
He said environmental pollution could be substantially reduced through the proper identification of its sources and the adoption of integrated mitigation measures.
Emphasising the importance of global partnerships, the state minister noted that coordinated international efforts were essential for environmental protection and the successful implementation of climate-resilient development programmes.
“Environmental challenges transcend national boundaries and require shared responsibility and collaborative action,” he said, calling on member states to deepen cooperation in pursuit of common environmental goals.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s ongoing initiatives in the environment and climate sectors, Shaikh Faridul said the government had undertaken a number of ambitious programmes as part of its electoral commitments.
These include the plantation of 250 million trees over the next five years, the re-excavation of 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals, the generation of 10,000 megawatts of solar power and the expansion of waste-to-energy projects across the country.
He also said Bangladesh was advancing nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation measures to enhance resilience against the adverse impacts of climate change.
Reaffirming the country’s commitment to the objectives and pledges of the GEF, the state minister underscored the need for stronger partnerships among member nations to accelerate progress in environmental conservation and climate action.
The GEF Assembly in Samarkand brought together representatives from 186 member countries, along with environmental experts, non-governmental organisations and private-sector stakeholders, to discuss global environmental priorities, climate challenges and pathways towards sustainable development.
