Bangladesh needs $116b to meet climate targets
Bangladesh will need an estimated US$116.18 billion to implement its updated climate action commitments over the next decade, with $90.23 billion expected from international sources, highlighting the scale of financing required to address climate risks and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The funding requirement was presented at a national dialogue titled “People-Led Policy: Bangladesh Position at COP31” at the CIRDAP auditorium on Saturday.
Organised by a coalition of 33 national and international organisations ahead of the UN climate conference, COP31, the event called for greater international support and a coordinated national position on climate financing.
According to the presentations, Bangladesh’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) for 2026-2035 targets a 20.31 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, equivalent to 84.97 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
The country’s National Adaptation Plan for 2023-2050 has identified 113 initiatives requiring around $230 billion, underscoring the substantial investment needed to strengthen climate resilience and protect vulnerable communities.
Roufa Khanum of the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER) presented data on global emissions and Bangladesh’s exposure to climate risks.
Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, chairman of the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), stressed the need for improved waste management and stronger measures to curb air pollution and industrial emissions.
Mahzabeen Mahfuz of ActionAid Bangladesh discussed the need for a just energy transition, while Chowdhury Abrar Zahin and Helena Khatun addressed marine resources and international climate finance.
Youth representatives presented six demands covering climate financing, education, employment, gender justice and meaningful participation in decision-making.
Mirza Shawkat Ali, director (climate change and international convention) at the Department of Environment, said initiatives were under way to reduce industrial emissions.
He emphasised that credible evidence and specific action plans were essential for Bangladesh to present its demands effectively in international climate negotiations.
SM Munjurul Hannan Khan, executive director of Nature Conservation Management (NACOM), called for coordinated planning on climate finance, the blue economy, waste management and urban heat stress.
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh and moderator of the dialogue, said Bangladesh was bearing a disproportionate burden of climate change and stressed the need for united efforts to secure grant-based international financing rather than loans.
The position paper presented at the dialogue outlined six key demands for Bangladesh’s engagement at COP31.
First, international climate finance, including funding for NDC 3.0, should be debt-free and provided through grants rather than loans. Second, the government, civil society, youth and private sector should coordinate their positions in international negotiations.
Third, Bangladesh should showcase environmentally friendly products, including jute, at COP31. Fourth, industrial emissions should be reduced through a just energy transition that safeguards workers’ livelihoods.
Fifth, women, young people and climate-affected communities should have meaningful roles in policymaking and representation in national delegations. Sixth, adequate funding should be secured for safe housing for climate migrants, improved waste management and measures to mitigate urban heat.
The dialogue also emphasised that climate finance must reach communities most affected by climate change, while displaced people should have access to resettlement assistance.
Participants further called for the inclusion of women, persons with disabilities and marginalised groups in climate-related decision-making, stressing that national climate policies and international commitments must reflect the needs of those most vulnerable to environmental threats.
