Bangladesh to Demand Grant-Based Climate Finance, Not Loans, at COP31: Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintu

Dhaka: Bangladesh will seek grant-based financing, not loans, and effective international support to tackle climate change loss and damage and to carry out adaptation activities. Bangladesh will raise this demand at the UN climate conference COP31, to be held in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20.

Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintu announced this at a press conference held on Thursday (November 5) in the conference room of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at the Secretariat.

The minister said Bangladesh will emphasise ensuring adequate grant-based climate finance at COP31. In particular, it will demand increased grants without adding to the loan burden for adaptation and for tackling climate-induced loss and damage, and a simpler application and approval process for climate funds.

He said Bangladesh's prime minister will take part in the conference's high-level segment at the invitation of the Turkish government. Through this, an opportunity will be created to present before world leaders the interests of climate-vulnerable people, Bangladesh's national priorities and the need for international cooperation.

Abdul Awal Mintu said cyclones, floods, salinity, droughts and heatwaves caused by climate change are putting people's lives, livelihoods and development at grave risk. In this situation, Bangladesh is giving priority to finance and technology support to protect climate-vulnerable people, ensure climate justice and implement national plans.

On adaptation activities, he said Bangladesh will seek finance, technology and capacity-building support to implement the National Adaptation Plan and achieve the global adaptation goal. Alongside ensuring water, food, health and livelihood security for people in coastal, haor, char and drought-prone areas, importance will be given to early warning systems and locally led adaptation activities.

On tackling climate-induced loss and damage, the minister said arrangements must be strengthened so that vulnerable countries and affected communities can receive grants from the loss and damage fund quickly and easily. Alongside economic losses, new and additional support is needed to address displacement, loss of livelihoods and other non-economic losses.

The environment minister also stressed rapid emission reductions to keep global warming limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius. He said developed countries must lead in this area. Major emitting countries must take effective steps according to their respective responsibilities and capacities. At the same time, finance and technology support must be ensured for developing countries to implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The minister further said Bangladesh will seek international support for an environment-friendly transition in the agriculture, industry, transport and energy sectors. In this area, workers' rights, skills development, social protection and decent employment for women and young people will receive importance.

Ensuring affordable access to renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean industry and transport, and climate-resilient technology is also among Bangladesh's priorities, he said. Alongside this, Bangladesh will work to increase financing for the conservation of forests, mangroves, wetlands and biodiversity, and for climate initiatives led by women and local communities.

Responding to journalists' questions at the press conference, Dr Saimum Parvez, the prime minister's special assistant for environment and forest affairs, said Bangladesh's position paper has been prepared taking the opinions of the relevant ministries, divisions and agencies and the advice of climate experts. The Bangladesh delegation will work in the national interest in coordination with the Least Developed Countries group, the G77 and like-minded climate-vulnerable countries. He said Bangladesh's expectation from COP31 is concrete progress in climate finance and implementation support, which will play a role in protecting people's lives and livelihoods by tackling climate risk.

Dr Saimum Parvez said the Bangladesh government is setting up a 100-square-metre pavilion at the conference venue. Bangladesh's climate risks, adaptation experience, NDC 3.0, the National Adaptation Plan, climate finance, loss and damage, carbon markets, renewable energy and local community initiatives will be presented there. A jute pavilion will also be set up.

Present at the press conference were the ministry's acting secretary Dr Fahmida Khanam, additional secretary Mohammad Navid Shafiullah, Department of Environment Director General Dr Md Lutfar Rahman, Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Managing Director Kazi Raonakul Islam and other senior officials of the ministry.