Over 26 million people are exposed to very high salinity and water scarcity in the southwestern coastal regions in Bangladesh and are exposed to sea level risk
Unchecked emissions and neglected adaptation will keep the most climate-vulnerable countries, including Bangladesh, under a great danger, said Bangladesh’s environment adviser.
“The messages of the latest scientific reports of IPCC, UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2024 and Emissions Gap Report 2024 are clear: if emissions are not rapidly reduced and adaptation adequately funded; this will expose the most vulnerable countries – like Bangladesh – to unmanageable levels of risk,” said Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
Environment, Forests, Climate Change, and Water Resources Advisor Rizwana made the statement on Wednesday while addressing a press briefing at COP29 being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
As one of the most vulnerable countries due to climate change Bangladesh has been demonstrating an unwavering commitment to climate action since adoption of the UN Climate Change Convention and has played active role during COP29 negotiations, she said.
“As we speak today, at least 300 villages and 1.5 million people remain inundated in one of the coastal districts of Bangladesh. This year alone, we experienced two devastating floods of unprecedented scale that impacted 1.7% of our total budget,” the advisor said.
Moreover, over 26 million people, Rizwana said, are exposed to very high salinity and water scarcity in the southwestern coastal regions in Bangladesh and are exposed to sea level risk.
She lamented the fact that the global North and major emitting countries still lack the feeling of urgency and true commitment in implementing the Paris Agreement.
Mentioning that existing plans and policies are struggling to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C, she said, “We are in a critical decade which determines our course whether to keep us well below 1.5°C or put us in a dangerous world towards 2.1–2.8°C pathway, even if we implement all the current Nationally Determined Contribution targets.”
According to the Adaptation Fund Gap Report of 2023, Bangladesh alone needs approximately $8.5 billion per year to adapt to the devastating impacts of climate change.
“Yet, only around $3 billion is currently being allocated through domestic sources. This leaves a massive shortfall of $5.5 billion, a gap that must be filled through external grant based finances,” the report adds.
On a global scale, the total adaptation finance gap is $366 billion USD per year as determined by needs assessment, it adds further.
“This figure is deeply concerning and cannot be ignored. If we are to meet our adaptation needs, we must close the gap now, before the cost of inaction becomes unbearable,” said Rizwana.
“In this backdrop, let me now focus on the ongoing negotiation at this COP29.”
There is slow progress on climate finance agenda items particularly on loss and damage fund and New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) outcome, she said.
“Under the NCQG negotiation, we are emphasizing on adequate and quality financing of USD $1.3 trillion for adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage,” Rizwana said.
“We also proposed grant-based financing for adaptation and loss and damage, as well as highly concessional financing for mitigation. We have been demanding special allocation for LDCs and SIDS considering their special needs and circumstances,” she added.
The advisor reckons public source of financing should be the primary source for NCQG, while private sector might have a supportive role.
At least 20% of that finance should flow through UNFCCC and Paris agreements funding windows. (Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, LDC Fund and Global Environment Facility trust fund)
Standing Committee on Finance should develop a climate finance definition to ensure transparency and accountability of Climate Finance, she said.
The Bangladesh official expressed his disappointment over not combinedly reaching an agreement on the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) for Loss and Damage.
“While work continues at the Board level to determine how the new Fund for responding to Loss and Damage will operate, we call for further pledges and its’ true operationalization,” she said.
On Global Goal on Adaptation, Rizwana said, countries failed to resolve differences and Subsidiary Bodies forwarded the draft text to the CMA, who considered the draft text as work in progress. “We hope Parties will engage during next SBs before adopting a decision at CMA7 next year.”
She found it disappointing to see the slow progress on the Mitigation Work Programme — the only agenda on mitigation. The issue of linking the first GST outcome to mitigation work programme has been the main stumbling block.
“The first GST outcome should facilitate the work of mitigation work programme and ensure that countries’ updated, new NDCs deliver strengthened commitments informed by the GST- tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, thereby transitioning towards sustainable energies,” she said.
“As for Bangladesh, we can transition to a renewable pathway with higher ambition and fulfill the conditional commitment of the NDC if means of implementation are delivered.”
We certainly consider the importance of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, however, developed countries must take the lead in mitigation action and focus on their respective domestic mitigation actions, rather than shifting the burden to developing countries through Article 6 mechanisms.
Finally, if trust in the multilateral process is to be upheld, the Baku COP must succeed with a just and balanced outcome, particularly by delivering a concrete and rightful decision on NCQG.
