Rizwana Hasan urged Nordic nations to boost adaptation finance, operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund, and support community-led resilience. In talks with Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, she emphasized people-centered investments, just transition, and scalable solutions like rainwater harvesting to tackle coastal salinity crises.
Bangladesh’s Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has called on Nordic countries to step up their support for adaptation finance, loss and damage implementation, and just transition as the nation braces for critical climate negotiations later this year said a press release.
In a high-level meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday, Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Ministry of Water Resources, met with the Ambassadors of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden — Christian Brix Møller, Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, and Nicolas Weeks — to discuss joint priorities in addressing climate challenges.
Adaptation and Loss & Damage at the Forefront
Rizwana Hasan underscored that while just transition is vital for the long term, Bangladesh’s most pressing need is to mobilize sufficient adaptation finance to safeguard vulnerable communities and ecosystems already suffering from climate shocks.
“Our coastal regions are struggling with acute water shortages due to salinity intrusion,” she said.
“We need cost-effective, community-based solutions such as rainwater harvesting systems to ensure safe drinking water during dry seasons. With proper support, such projects can be scaled up to reach thousands.”
She also called for swift operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, enabling countries like Bangladesh to recover from irreversible climate impacts and rebuild resiliently.
Nordic Partners Commit to Cooperation
The Nordic Ambassadors commended Bangladesh’s proactive stance and reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration in renewable energy, wind power, green shipping, and climate adaptation.
They emphasized that Nordic experience in green technologies and Bangladesh’s local innovation capacity could together accelerate sustainable development and resilience in the region.
Both sides agreed to strengthen bilateral dialogue and regional cooperation to amplify the voices of climate-vulnerable nations in global forums, including the upcoming COP30 in Belém.
Rizwana Hasan expressed optimism that strong partnerships and political will could turn 2025 into a year of concrete gains for adaptation finance, loss and damage, and community-led resilience.
People-Centered Investments: Key to Resilience
Earlier in the day, speaking at the Regional Infrastructure Monitoring Alliance (RIMA) Conference 2025 at Hotel Lake Castle, Dhaka, Rizwana Hasan warned against investments that ignore environmental and social safeguards.
“Investment without debate, safeguards, and public consent risks harming both people and the environment,” she cautioned.
“Good investment is that which protects nature, respects people’s voices, and strengthens long-term resilience.”
She urged both government agencies and international financiers to align infrastructure and climate finance decisions with community needs, nature-based solutions, and transparency.
The meeting was attended by senior MoEFCC officials, including: Mohammad Navid Shafiullah, Additional Secretary (Climate Change); Md. Khayrul Hasan, Additional Secretary (Development); Dharitri Kumar Sarkar, Joint Secretary (Climate Change); Md. Rezaul Karim, Joint Secretary (Environment) also present was Nayoka Martinez Bäckström, First Secretary of the Swedish Embassy.
