Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Honorable Ministers, Excellencies, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC and distinguished delegates. At the outset let me convey my sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Government of Japan and UNFCCC to set up a global platform aiming to crate global solidarity on two global crises: Climate Change and COVID-19 pandemic.

・The responses to these two global crises may be mutually reinforcing whereby global recovery package from COVID-19 can be integrated in to enhanced actions on climate change. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provide a clear international framework for actions and they form the basis of our shared responsibilities for the people and the planet, which have to be reflected and integrated in the national, regional and global recovery packages from COVID-19.

・In line with the green recovery from COVID-19, we have already initiated our action plan to implement a number of concrete projects. Let me mention some of them.

・Under the national climate fiscal framework, on an average around $2 billion has been allocated each year since 2010 from national budget, and this amount has been increased to $3 billion annually over the last few years to put more priority on climate actions.

・Bangladesh has been submitted her INDC in 2015. As per commitment to the Paris Agreement, Bangladesh has started domestic process to review and update the NDC. It is expected to be submitted before COP26 next year.

・We are promoting afforestation and reforestation initiatives by increasing tree coverage from 22% to 24% by 2021. In continuation of this program and as a part of the celebration of “Mujib Borsho” we are planting ten million trees across the country within three months (July-September 2020) for achieving 25% tree coverage by 2030.

・Bangladesh has been putting sincere efforts to increase the share of renewable energy in total energy mix to reach the target of generating 10 percent of total electricity from environment friendly renewable sources by 2020.

・Around 6.0 million solar home systems have been installed to reach electricity to the people living mostly in off-grid areas. The construction works for 1,220.77 MW of electricity generation from renewable sources under 23 projects are underway in different phases.

・GEF funded initiative on enabling Electric Vehicles (EVs) adoption in the framework of sustainable energy based transportation in Bangladesh:
We have taken up a project initiative focusing on developing EV roadmap/guidelines/policy with environment, social safety and gender considerations, setting up of institutional frameworks, technical standards, tariff, incentive structures, taxes, safety regulations for EVs and vehicle efficiency as well as integration and installation of solar-grid hybrid charging stations at selected urban and semi-urban areas for different EVs types, etc.

・We are putting greater emphasis on implementing National Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation Master Plan.

・More emphasis is given for inclusion of infectious diseases in the preparation of National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which is currently underway.

・In preparing all relevant national policy, strategy and action plans we will carefully consider the important issue of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

・Handing over of newly constructed 19 Climate Resilient Buildings (1st phase) among 600 climate change induced displaced families (Climate Victims) in the last month by our Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

・Continuous innovation and introduction of new stress (saline, drought, flood water) tolerant crop varieties, expansion of floating gardening and production technology were introduced.

・Several initiatives are being undertaken at local and national level for sustainable management of solid waste and hazardous waste (medical waste including COVID-19 waste, e-waste) in line with the concept of circular economy.