Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Water Resources; has emphasised Bangladesh's active participation in COP29, ensuring that climate-vulnerable nations are at the forefront of global climate action.
Bangladesh looks forward to contributing to meaningful discussions at COP29, where global cooperation in addressing climate challenges, especially for countries like ours, is highly necessary, she said.
“Climate finance, adaptation, and mitigation strategies must be fair and priority should be given to the badly-affected climate vulnerable communities,” she said.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan made these remarks while Elchin Huseynli, Ambassador of Azerbaijan, the host country of the upcoming COP29 summit, paid a courtesy call on her at her office in Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Nardia Simpson, the Acting High Commissioner of Australia to Bangladesh, also met with the Environment Adviser to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation on environmental protection and climate resilience.
“Australia has been a key partner in enhancing Bangladesh's climate resilience, and we aim to deepen this collaboration to protect our biodiversity and safeguard communities from climate-related disasters,” said Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
Both meetings reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment to tackling the global climate crisis through international partnerships. Key topics discussed included the conservation of river ecosystems and the promotion of renewable energy.
The meetings were attended by the Environment Secretary, Water Resources Secretary, and senior officials from both ministries and the embassies.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan said that the commitment for providing US$100 billion to address the international climate funding crisis should be increased. “While contributions from developed nations may resolve some financial issues, true climate justice will still remain elusive,” she added.
