International Desk

The UN Climate Conference, COP31, has begun in Türkiye's Antalya, focusing on securing climate finance, technology transfer and compensation for loss and damage caused by climate change.

As one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, Bangladesh will call for a threefold increase in adaptation funding, grant-based finance to address loss and damage, and the technology and financial support needed to build climate resilience.

Bangladesh will also stress the responsibility of developed countries to address climate-related damage, calling for favourable financing conditions and more grants instead of loans.

The country's priorities also include limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, expanding renewable energy and ensuring climate-resilient development.

The conference is taking place amid continuing disagreements between developed and developing countries over climate finance. Its significance has been heightened by recent global concerns, including severe heatwaves in Europe, devastating floods in Nepal and forecasts of a strong El Niño event.

In a message to world leaders on the opening day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the widespread destruction caused by extreme weather events and called for urgent and effective action to tackle the climate crisis.

Representatives from 196 countries and the European Union are attending the conference. So far, heads of state and government from 102 countries, along with more than 300 ministers, have confirmed their participation.

Bangladesh delegation led by Prime Minister

A high-level delegation led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is attending the climate summit to present Bangladesh's position and demands.

Tarique Rahman arrived in Antalya on Tuesday afternoon on a three-day visit to attend the World Leaders’ Summit scheduled for November 11-12, and hold talks with leaders of different countries.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at 6:30pm local time today, said his Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.

The meeting will take place in the meeting room of Maxx Royal Hotel, he said.

As part of the conference, the two-day World Leaders’ Summit will be held on November 11-12.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to address a plenary session on November 12 and hold several bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the summit, newly appointed Foreign Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury said in a curtain-raiser briefing in Dhaka on Monday.

The foreign secretary said Tarique would outline Bangladesh’s position and expectations on climate justice, the historical responsibility of developed countries, climate finance, adaptation, addressing loss and damage, and climate-resilient sustainable development.

He said the Prime Minister’s engagements on the sidelines of the summit are expected to cover strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade and investment, cooperation in addressing climate change and other matters of mutual interest.

Salahuddin Noman said Bangladesh contributed only 0.05 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet remained among the countries most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. “Against this backdrop, securing climate justice is one of Bangladesh’s foremost priorities,” he said.

Other priorities include adaptation finance, addressing loss and damage, and ensuring the effective implementation of developed countries’ climate finance commitments, he said.

At the summit, Bangladesh will highlight its achievements in climate resilience and share its experience in addressing climate impacts across South Asia and the wider Asian region.

Bangladesh has also taken an initiative to establish a jute pavilion in the conference’s Green Zone to showcase jute’s diverse uses, environment-friendly characteristics and potential as an alternative to plastic.

A joint declaration between Bangladesh and Türkiye on the use and promotion of jute and jute products is also envisaged during the conference, the foreign secretary said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will organise two side events in the Blue Zone on November 12 and 13.

One will focus on gender-based vulnerability in Bangladesh resulting from the adverse impacts of climate change, while the other will address the challenges of promoting environment-friendly, biodegradable and zero-waste jute products.

Bangladesh seeks threefold increase in adaptation funding

One of Bangladesh's key demands at COP31 is a threefold increase in international funding for climate adaptation.

The country will also call for more funding to address climate-induced loss and damage, greater technology transfer and the financial support needed to implement adaptation initiatives.

Mirza Shawkat Ali, Director (Climate Change and International Conventions) at the Department of Environment, told UNB that climate-related issues were discussed at a recent two-day meeting of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group.

Climate finance received particular attention, alongside discussions on technology transfer, climate-induced loss and damage, and adaptation.

He said Bangladesh would call for a threefold increase in adaptation funding and more resources to address climate-induced loss and damage.

"Within the Mitigation Work Programme, we aim to maintain the 1.5-degree target.

"Additionally, under the UAE Work Programme, we intend to secure the necessary financing to achieve the indicators for the 'Global Goal on Adaptation' and build climate resilience. Looking ahead, the Global Stocktake is scheduled for 2028, and these matters will also be part of the discourse," he said.

Mirza Shawkat Ali stressed that adaptation should receive the same level of attention as reducing carbon emissions when addressing the adverse impacts of climate change.

The Global Goal on Adaptation was established under Article 7 of the 2015 Paris Agreement to strengthen adaptive capacity, reduce climate risks and build resilience.

He also said Bangladesh's achievements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) should not be judged only in terms of national gains or losses, as tackling climate change and controlling global temperatures are collective global efforts.

Limiting global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared with pre-industrial levels would be a major achievement for the entire world, including Bangladesh, he added.

Noting that Bangladesh performs better than many other South Asian countries in securing climate projects and funding, he said the main priority was to ensure adequate financing for climate resilience.

"The Government of Bangladesh itself allocates approximately $4.2 billion annually from its Annual Development Programme to climate-related sectors. In terms of national-level preparedness and capacity, we are in a stronger position compared to other Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and developing nations," he said.

Bangladesh wants climate grants, not loans

Alongside securing funds to address climate risks, the government is giving priority to obtaining grants rather than taking on further debt.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo told UNB that Bangladesh would stress the need for sufficient grant-based climate finance at COP31.

He said grants, rather than loans, should be increased to support adaptation and address climate-induced loss and damage. Bangladesh would also call for simpler application and approval procedures for accessing climate funds.

Climate change, through cyclones, floods, salinity intrusion, droughts and heatwaves, poses a serious threat to people's lives, livelihoods and the country's development, he said.

Against this backdrop, Bangladesh is prioritising the protection of climate-vulnerable communities, climate justice and access to financial and technical support to implement its national plans.

On adaptation, the minister said Bangladesh would seek financial support, technology and capacity-building assistance to implement its National Adaptation Plan and make tangible progress towards global adaptation goals.

Priority would be given to ensuring water, food, health and livelihood security for people living in coastal areas, haors, chars and drought-prone regions.

Support would also be sought for early warning systems and adaptation initiatives led by local communities.

Access to loss and damage funds

The government will call for increased international support to address climate-related losses and damage in different parts of Bangladesh, particularly in coastal areas.

It will place particular emphasis on strengthening mechanisms to ensure rapid and easy access to grant-based funding from international loss and damage funds for vulnerable countries and affected communities.

The Environment Minister said climate-related losses and damage were not limited to infrastructure destruction and economic costs. They also included displacement, loss of livelihoods, social and cultural erosion and other economic impacts.

Addressing these challenges requires new and additional international support, he said.

Bangladesh believes the international community has a responsibility to ensure fair financing for countries that contribute the least to climate change but suffer its most severe consequences.

Push for 1.5-degree target, faster emission cuts

Bangladesh will call for rapid, science-based reductions in carbon emissions to help limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The Environment Minister said developed countries should take the lead in cutting emissions, while major emitting countries should take effective action in line with their responsibilities and capabilities.

Financial and technical assistance will also be needed to help developing countries implement their conditional Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Bangladesh will seek international support for environmentally friendly transformations in agriculture, industry, transport and energy.

Fair distribution of the costs and benefits of this transition, labour rights, skills development, social protection and decent employment opportunities for women and young people will also be important priorities.

Renewable energy and technology transfer

Expanding renewable energy and access to environmentally friendly technologies is another major priority for Bangladesh in tackling climate change.

The government will seek international cooperation to ensure affordable access to renewable energy, including solar power, energy efficiency, cleaner industries and transport, and climate-resilient technologies.

Bangladesh will also support increased funding for forest, mangrove, wetland and biodiversity conservation, nature-based solutions and climate initiatives led by women and local communities.

The government will further seek cooperation to ensure that international measures taken to tackle climate change do not undermine the exports, employment and competitiveness of developing countries.

Although Bangladesh's contribution to global climate change is relatively small, the country spends huge amounts every year dealing with its consequences.

Natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, river erosion, salinity intrusion, droughts and heatwaves have long-term impacts on the country's economy, agriculture, infrastructure and people's lives.

For Bangladesh, COP31 is therefore not simply an international conference but an important opportunity to secure the finance, technology and international cooperation needed to address growing climate risks.

Experts and stakeholders say the country's main challenge will be to turn international climate finance commitments into actual funding.

They believe Bangladesh's capacity to deal with climate risks will improve if its demands for increased adaptation finance, easier access to loss and damage funds, technology transfer and grant-based assistance are met.

Overall, Bangladesh hopes that international commitments to tackle climate change will go beyond negotiations and translate into adequate finance, technology transfer and fair support for vulnerable countries.

All eyes will now be on how effectively the Bangladeshi delegation—led by Prime Minister Tareq Rahman—can articulate these demands at the conference and what specific commitments they can secure from the international community.