Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, stressed that this stark reality demands decisions rooted in clear evidence and honest science. “Strong and trusted science-policy interfaces are not optional,” she said. “They are the backbone of credible global action.”

Environment Secretary said this while delivering  Bangladesh’s statement at the Closing Plenary of the 7th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), held today in Nairobi, Kenya.

Speaking at the session, the Environment Secretary said that the world is meeting “at a moment when the triple planetary crisis is no longer an abstract warning but a lived reality.” She noted that climate disruption, collapsing biodiversity, and the intensifying spread of toxic pollution are undermining global development, social stability, and human wellbeing.

Highlighting the scientific bodies that underpin global environmental governance, she reaffirmed Bangladesh’s appreciation for the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). She also welcomed the expanding role of the newly established Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution, noting its crucial relevance for developing countries grappling with hazardous substances.

The Environment Secretary commended UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook (GEO) assessments and other UN scientific platforms that continue to provide indispensable knowledge for informed decision-making. She emphasized that the immediate challenge is to ensure that scientific findings directly shape the outcomes of UNEA-7.

“Evidence must guide ambition, and ambition must translate into real implementation on the ground. Our shared future depends on it,” she said.

Md. Ziaul Haque, Additional Director General of the Department of Environment, attended the Closing Plenary as a member of the Bangladesh delegation.