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He says Bangladesh is a frontrunner in terms of climate adaptation with the Delta Plan 2100 and Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan being a crucial climate prosperity plan
Published : 05 Nov 2023, 10:49 PM
Bangladesh may have sufficient plans to combat climate change but the international community needs to help the country to implement the measures, says Patrick Verkooiken, chief executive of the Global Center on Adaptation.
Speaking on bdnews24.com’s Inside Out on Sunday, he said: “I think Bangladesh has the ideas. It has the political leadership to drive this agenda.”
“Now, it's up to the international community to match the aspirations and the financial commitments of the Bangladesh people and I think that is the journey ahead of us,” he said.
The programme was broadcast live on bdnews24.com and its Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Verkooijen is a visiting professor at the University and Research Centre’s Global Forest Diplomacy.
In the interview, he responded to different queries about GCA operations, Bangladesh’s move to adapt to climate change and the upcoming 28th UN climate summit (COP28) to be held at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Verkooijen said Bangladesh is a frontrunner in terms of climate adaptation with the Delta Plan 2100 being a crucial climate prosperity plan.
“They have a Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan. So, they have the framework in place in identifying the priority areas for investment.”
“Secondly, Bangladesh has already identified its own public resources to match these national projects.
“Thirdly, what is quite promising is that the international finance institutions based here in Bangladesh, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the IMF, all came forward with very strong project finance commitments to the national planning of Bangladesh,” he said.
He called upon the financers to invest in infrastructures to make them future-proof.
“I think it's very important that [the infrastructure today] the realisation that not all of it is climate proof; but that we need to make sure that the infrastructure being invested in the coming period has sort of the climate risk and mainstream into its design and its implementation.”
Verkooijen mentioned that the implementation of the 2015 Paris climate agreement, loss and damage and adaptation finance are some of the key agendas of COP28.
“In 2015, the Paris Agreement came into force. Nations came forward with their climate appliance. How much are they on track to deliver on these suppliers?” he asked.
He said in reality, the nations are far from their promises and COP28 must clarify the carbon emissions cut is “not enough” to keep warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“The oil and gas industry has to be part of the solution. There is no way to [achieve the goal to keep temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius worldwide] without robust commitments from the oil and gas industry to clean up their own acts.”
He said many countries are having to pay the price for the “loss and damage” caused by global warming, in particular Bangladesh, Africa and other countries.
“Basically, getting voice to the voiceless here in Bangladesh and sharing that expertise with other parts of the world, such as in Africa, whether it's in Kenya, whether it's in Senegal or in Ghana, [is important].”
“We know, of course, that we have to lower our carbon footprint but at the same time, we have to adapt our food systems, our infrastructure systems to the adverse facts, effects of climate change. But someone needs to pay for it.”
Putting the spotlight on Bangladesh’s $2 billion budget to recover from climate-induced losses, he said the country needed to up the budget to at least $8 billion.
“So there's a vast gap of adaptation finance to be filled. Two years ago, the international community promised to double adaptation finance.
“Now at COP28, the world has to deliver on its implementation. So it's all to play for. And that's why I was delighted to hear earlier today that the prime minister is going to COP28, making a strong plea on behalf of the Global South for this very important adaptation indeed.”
He also mentioned that the COP28 being held in the UAE, an oil-producing country, raises different questions. Verkooijen sees this as a positive aspect.
He highlighted the UAE as a forerunner in the renewable energy sector along with oil production.
“They have to deserve that seat at the table to clean up their own industry. And that is a very important deliverable also for COP28.
“So let's plan for an inclusive process but also be very clear who should deliver what, by when and in what fashion. Oil and gas industry has to come to the table with strong commitments, whether it's on methane emissions or transitioning to renewable energy.”
