State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has urged developed countries to fulfil their climate finance commitments and provide grants instead of loans ahead of the COP31 climate summit, calling for a unified national position in international negotiations.
She made the call at a national dialogue titled "People-Led Policy: Bangladesh Position at COP31" at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka on 24 October. The event was jointly organised by 33 national and international organisations working on climate change.
According to a press release, Shama said Bangladesh needed coordinated efforts among government agencies, the private sector, civil society and experts to bridge the gap between its expectations and outcomes in climate negotiations.
Ten years after the Paris Agreement, implementation progress must be assessed alongside commitments, she said, stressing the need for adequate financing to address climate impacts, equal attention to adaptation and mitigation, and greater transparency in international negotiations.
She said initiatives were under way to strengthen coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Young people working on climate issues could also be involved in the process, she added.
The state minister also highlighted plans to showcase Bangladesh's environment-friendly jute products at COP31 through a dedicated Jute Pavilion. The initiative could help expand international markets for jute products and improve the livelihoods of rural farmers.
Mirza Shawkat Ali, director of climate change and international convention at the Department of Environment, said initiatives were under way to reduce industrial emissions. He stressed that credible evidence and specific plans were essential to presenting Bangladesh's demands effectively in international negotiations.
Dr SM Munjurul Hannan Khan, executive director of Nature Conservation Management (NACOM), highlighted the need for coordinated planning on climate finance, the blue economy, waste management and urban heat stress.
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, called for collective action to secure grant-based climate finance, saying Bangladesh bears a disproportionate burden of climate change.
Presentations at the dialogue highlighted the scale of financing required to meet Bangladesh's climate goals. The country's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) targets a 20.31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, equivalent to 84.97 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Implementing the plan for 2026–2035 is estimated to cost $116.18 billion, including $90.23 billion in international support, according to figures presented at the event. The National Adaptation Plan for 2023–2050 identifies 113 initiatives requiring approximately $230 billion.
The civil society position paper calls for debt-free, grant-based climate finance, stronger coordination among national stakeholders, reduced industrial and air pollution, and a just energy transition that protects workers.
It also urges meaningful participation by women, young people and climate-affected communities in policymaking and national delegations, alongside funding for climate migrants' housing, improved waste management and measures to address extreme heat in urban areas.