Rights groups have urged COP31 to prioritise existing climate commitments over new pledges and ensure adequate funding for adaptation, climate-related loss and damage, and a fair transition away from fossil fuels.
They called for accessible, grant-based climate funding without increasing developing countries' debt burdens, fulfilment of the commitment to triple adaptation finance, direct delivery of loss and damage funds to affected communities, and financial and technological support for moving away from fossil fuels at a seminar at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka today (15 October), according to a COAST Foundation press release.
Speakers also called for affected communities to have a say in climate adaptation decisions and for women farmers facing growing risks to their health, safety, livelihoods and access to resources to be recognised as independent producers and economic contributors.
Titled "COP31 and Bangladesh's Priorities: Climate Crisis, Agriculture and Women; Adaptation, Finance and Justice", the seminar was jointly organised by EquityBD, BCJF, COAST Foundation, AVAS, Bindu and Street Child.
MA Hasan, head of climate change at COAST Foundation, presented the keynote paper, while Mostafa Kamal, director of the foundation, moderated the discussion.
Speakers further called for tracking how much adaptation funding reaches women farmers and assessing its impact on production, income, control over resources, losses, workload and ability to cope with climate change.
They also demanded direct and long-term funding for women farmers, equal access to agricultural resources, technology, markets and decision-making, coordinated measures to address salinity, and equal pay for women agricultural workers.
Md Akter Hossain Khan, chief of the Seed Wing at the Ministry of Agriculture, said grassroots organisations should jointly present their demands to the ministry and the government should establish small cold storage facilities at the local level.
He also said climate-resilient seeds were being developed and promoted for wider use.
AKM Jashim Uddin, director of ADAB, said Bangladesh's representatives at COP negotiations should take a stronger stance.
He said development planning had not prioritised agriculture despite Bangladesh being an agriculture-based economy, focusing instead on numerical targets.
Mir Mohammad Ali of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University questioned whether carbon trading, in the name of climate action, was allowing developed countries to continue emitting greenhouse gases.
Rahima Sultana Kajol, executive director of AVAS, said women farmers should have meaningful participation, leadership and decision-making power in local climate adaptation and agricultural planning.
Imtiaz Ridoy, team lead at Street Child Bangladesh, said existing policies did not adequately recognise women farmers as a distinct group.
He called for a one-stop service at the upazila level under the Department of Agricultural Extension, allowing women farmers to access services and support from different government departments in one place.
Syed Aminul Haque, coordinator of EquityBD, said at least 50% of climate finance should be allocated to adaptation, backed by evidence of effective use and successful initiatives in Bangladesh.
He also said climate policies and strategies should be developed from the grassroots level to reflect local needs and funding priorities.
Women farmers Nur Nahar Begum from Kuakata, Rina Begum from Satkhira, Kalpana Rani and Najma Begum also attended the seminar, alongside representatives of civil society organisations, youth groups and journalists.