Bangladesh has urged governments and global climate finance bodies to ensure that loss and damage funds reach frontline communities, warning that isolated projects and weak delivery systems are failing those most exposed to the climate crisis.
Speaking at a COP30 side event titled “From Local Knowledge to Global Action: Building Resilience through Collaboration” on Sunday, Farida Akhter, Adviser to the Government of Bangladesh on Fisheries and Livestock, said past climate conferences had produced “reports instead of results,” with funds often getting stuck before reaching affected people.
“Emission reductions must remain our top priority, but communities cannot wait,” she said. “Funding cannot continue to flow into scattered projects while major polluters keep emitting unchecked.”
Akhter described worsening climate impacts in rural areas, from falling fish stocks and degraded water bodies to growing challenges in livestock management. She said climate action must extend across ministries, adding that uncoordinated development activities continue to damage ecosystems.
She also flagged gaps in disaster planning, noting that sunstroke, salinity and other slow-onset hazards remain largely overlooked. Women, she added, often avoid cyclone shelters because of their livestock responsibilities, weakening community safety during disasters.
ICCCAD Managing Director Saqib Huq said global climate negotiations must better reflect local realities. “Too often, the lived experiences of vulnerable communities do not reach the negotiation rooms,” he said.
Youth leaders echoed the call. “Youth are not the future of climate action — they are the present,” said Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global. He warned that a green transition that excludes women, workers and marginalized groups risks worsening inequality.
The dialogue brought together senior experts and young negotiators from Bangladesh, Southeast Asia and Africa, underscoring the role of youth in translating local knowledge into fair and actionable climate policies.
