Momen for UK’s support to intensify climate action

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DHAKA, March 4, 2021 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen has sought the UK’s cooperation for making finance more accessible to build resilience and amplify climate actions.

He also reaffirmed the commitment of Bangladesh government to build resilience to tackle climate change while attending the UK-Bangladesh Climate Partnership Forum virtual event on Wednesday, a press release said here today.

Apart from financing, the minister stressed on transfer of technology, expertise and other relevant assistance to mitigate the impact of climate change.

“Bangladesh seeks support from UK and other developed countries to ensure concessional finance and access to technology for all developing countries, and LDCs, especially due to the unprecedented socio-economic impacts of COVID-19,” Momen said.

As one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, Bangladesh has experienced first-hand the devastating impact it can have on people, the environment and the economy.

“Each year hundreds and thousands of people are being uprooted from their homes… country governments alone cannot cope with the costs of rehabilitation. Therefore the global leadership could come forward to create another climate migrant fund,” he said.

Bangladesh has become a global leader on adapting to a changing climate and since 2016 has invested more than $6 billion dollars into adaptation activities.

UK-Bangladesh Climate Partnership Forum virtual series, COP26 President Alok Sharma hoped to visit Bangladesh in person as soon as possible to witness first-hand the inspiring work Bangladesh was already doing to tackle the most critical climate challenges of the current time.

“Climate finance is a central priority for the COP26 Presidency and as hosts we are calling on all donors to increase their finance commitments and play their part in delivering on our shared $100bn goal, Sharma said.

Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCAD) Professor Saleemul Huq chaired the Virtual series, while it was managed by Mott MacDonald in partnership with ODI on behalf of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British High Commission in Dhaka.

The UK is already a key partner to Bangladesh on disaster management and resilience building.

Since 2008, UK and Bangladesh jointly helped over 27 million people gain access to early warning systems for floods and cyclones, and provided emergency assistance and recovery support after disasters to more than 900,000 people, the release said.

Launched last November, this virtual series was designed to build on the growing collaboration between the UK and Bangladesh in advancing the climate agenda in the run-up to COP26, the UN’s climate change conference, later in 2021.

The session was opened by Judith Herbertson, Bangladesh Development Director at the British High Commission in Dhaka while Bangladeshi High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem concluded the event, according to the release.