Nature-based approaches are most effective at confronting the inter-related challenges of the pandemic, biodiversity loss and climate change, Environment Minister Md Shahab Uddin has said.
Bangladesh has been putting sincere efforts into achieving sustainable development goals, placing climate, nature and development at its heart, he said.
And, the country has adopted a Green Growth Strategy in its 8th Five Year Plan and Bangladesh Perspective Plan 2021-2041 to harmonise economic growth with better environmental sustainability to create a climate resilient nation, Mr Shahab Uddin said.
The Environment Minister, joining virtually from his official residence in Dhaka, made the remarks during the Fourth United Nations Environment Program Session of the Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific held Thursday at Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Environment and climate change ministers of the Asia Pacific region delivered speeches on the occasion, according to a statement of the ministry.
The Environment Minister said the government has adopted the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 to achieve a safe, climate-resilient and prosperous delta by ensuring long term water and food security, economic growth, environmental sustainability while effectively reducing vulnerability to natural disasters and building resilience to climate change.
To reduce GHG emissions, Bangladesh has revised and submitted Enhanced Updated NDCs on 26th August this year, enhancing both the unconditional and conditional contributions with ambitious quantifiable mitigation targets, he added.
Shahab Uddin said Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan 2030, finalised by Bangladesh has duly recognised the co-benefits of maximising share of renewable energy, enhancing energy efficiency, giving importance to climate resilient nature-based approaches of development and due consideration on Locally Led Adaptation.
The country is also working on implementing its sectoral policies and action plans like Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, Country Investment Plan on Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, Renewable Energy Roadmap, Plastic Waste Management Action Plan, etc, the Environment Minister said.
To realise the actions at the national level, means of implementation in terms of finance and investment, technology cooperation and capacity building are fundamental, he said.