During the ongoing NAP Expo at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center, Environment Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed revealed the government’s commitment to combat climate change by increasing the renewable energy target to 40 percent. Dr. Ahmed emphasized Bangladesh’s leadership in adaptation capacity and highlighted the importance of public and mental health amidst climate challenges.
Addressing the technical session titled ‘Implementation National Guidelines in Urban Local Government Context with Effective Participation: Learning from Practices,’ Dr. Ahmed stressed the necessity of extensive tree plantation in urban areas to mitigate rising temperatures. The government is actively involved in tree plantation initiatives and encourages public participation in this endeavor. Furthermore, Dr. Ahmed underscored the need to augment water reservoirs in Dhaka to cope with climate-induced changes.
Regarding the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), Dr. Ahmed outlined the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6.73 percent by 2030, with a potential additional reduction of 15.12 percent with international assistance. He emphasized the critical role of international financial support in realizing Bangladesh’s climate action plans.
The panel discussion featured insights from various stakeholders including Sarwar Bari, Director General of Local Government Department (Planning), Dana de la Fontaine, Cluster Coordinator of GI Lloyd’s Climate Change and Sustainable Urban Development Cluster, and M. Mehdi Ahsan, the country representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Bangladesh.