UNGA chief calls for more climate adaptation funding
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Dr Khalilur Rahman has called for increased investment in climate adaptation, early warning systems and disaster preparedness, urging stronger international support for countries most vulnerable to climate change.
In a message posted on his verified Facebook page on Friday, he said climate change was already affecting where millions of people could live, how they earned their livelihoods and their ability to withstand future disasters.
“Rising seas threaten coastal communities. Extreme heat, floods and droughts are putting lives, infrastructure and livelihoods at risk,” he wrote.
Referring to the ongoing 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, Khalilur Rahman said he was advocating greater investment in climate resilience, particularly in countries with limited resources to respond to climate-related disasters.
He stressed that developing countries needed access to appropriate technology, financing and expertise to strengthen their long-term resilience.
“Ultimately, climate action must be measured by the people and ecosystems we protect,” he added.
In a separate interview on the sidelines of COP31, the UNGA president defended the relevance of the United Nations, saying the global organisation remained essential for bringing countries together to address shared challenges, including climate change.
Responding to questions about the UN’s effectiveness amid divisions within the Security Council and the repeated use of veto powers by its permanent members, he acknowledged that the Council had failed to reach consensus on several issues, allowing conflicts to continue.
He explained that under the UN Charter, the Security Council has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, while the General Assembly also has the authority to discuss such matters.
He said he had convened two General Assembly discussions this year following the use of vetoes, describing them as important opportunities to ensure transparency in the Security Council’s activities.
He urged the Council to fulfil its responsibilities under the UN Charter, saying the United Nations was seen as acting when the Council took action.
On Security Council reform, Khalilur Rahman said the world had changed significantly since the UN was established in 1945 and that the Council’s structure needed to reflect present-day geopolitical realities.
As UNGA president, he oversees intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform and said he had recently reappointed the co-chairs of the negotiations.
He described the absence of permanent African representation as one of the most glaring historical injustices in the Council’s structure.
“Africa needs to be at the table, not on the menu,” he said, calling for greater African participation in decisions on international peace and security.
He said he was working with different groups of countries and Security Council members, including its permanent members, to advance the reform process during his presidency.
However, he acknowledged that changes to the Council’s composition would require an amendment to the UN Charter and approval from the Security Council, including its permanent members. He therefore expected progress to be gradual.
On accountability for violations of international law, Khalilur Rahman said the UN Charter contained provisions for expelling member states, although such measures had rarely been used.
He also highlighted the role of the International Court of Justice in delivering legal judgments on state conduct.
Drawing on his previous experience as Bangladesh’s high representative on Rohingya refugees, he recalled how the UN country team in Bangladesh had faced severe resource shortages but managed to maintain, and in some cases improve, service delivery through innovative arrangements involving national institutions, local personnel and people from refugee camps.
COP31 is being held at the Antalya Expo Centre from November 9 to 20, with the World Leaders’ Summit taking place on November 11 and 12. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended the summit during a three-day visit to Türkiye.
Earlier, the Prime Minister urged wealthy nations to provide grants rather than additional loans to climate-vulnerable countries, warning that further borrowing would deepen their debt burdens.
He also called for debt relief, technology transfers and increased financial assistance to help developing economies address climate change.
“Climate-vulnerable countries need grants, not more loans that increase their debt burden,” the Prime Minister said in his address to the UN climate conference in Antalya.