High officials of the UN and ADB on Tuesday said they will provide necessary assistance to Bangladesh to combat climate change, including the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis and Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Representative Edimon Ginting said this in two separate meetings held at the environment ministry.
They held meetings with the environment minister Md Shahab Uddin, while secretary of the ministry Farhina Ahmed, ADB Country Specialist Soon Chang Hong, ADB External Affairs Team Leader Gobinda Bar and other senior officials of the ministry were present.
The minister said, Bangladesh needs USD 230 billion until 2030 to implement the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
"We expect the cooperation of international organisations like the United Nations and ADB in the implementation of NAP," he added.
Referring to the participation of Bangladesh in the COP-27 conference, the minister said, Bangladesh is expecting effective steps in the implementation of the Glasgow-Sharm Al Sheikh Work Program on the Global Goals on Adaptation and the decision to provide USD 100 billion of aid promised by developed countries to countries most vulnerable to climate change.
The minister said that a specific financing mechanism must be determined for the most vulnerable countries.
In this regard, according to the calculations of the Standing Committee on Finance, the $8.8 to $9.9 trillion required for developing countries by 2030 should be taken into consideration, he added.
Gwyn Lewis, UN resident coordinator assigned to Bangladesh, said that after returning to the country after the COP-27 conference, the UN will help Bangladesh if it formulates a specific action plan to deal with climate risks.
He stated that Bangladesh can prepare this action plan by prioritising the Bangladesh Climate Adaptation Plan, Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, Delta Plan, Eighth Five Year Plan, and other documents.
He expressed special interest in helping climate refugees as a result of climate change.
ADB Country Representative Edimon Ginting said Bangladesh is a role model in the world in dealing with climate change.
He said that ADB is assisting Bangladesh in various projects. ADB will financially help the project's proposal to address climate risk if the government sends it.
The country representative of ADB presented a proposal to work on the installation of solar panels above the water without causing any damage to the water bodies in the Haor area.
