Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources underscored the Government of Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to climate action, irrespective of international funding availability. “As a nation, we bear the responsibility of protecting our people whether foreign funds and investments are available or not. This is why Bangladesh created the Climate Change Trust Fund, allocating a portion of our national budget to tackle climate challenges,” she stated.
Environment Advisor said this while delivered speech as the chief guest at the Workshop on Catalyzing Climate Adaptation Actions at Scale and Mobilizing Investments at The Westin, Dhaka on Thursday evening. The event, organized by Standard Chartered Bank, brought together key stakeholders, including policymakers, financial institutions, and development partners, to discuss the urgent need for climate adaptation investments.
While emphasizing the importance of adaptation, she also acknowledged its limitations. Citing IPCC projections, she warned that if climate mitigation fails, one-third of Bangladesh could be submerged, a crisis no amount of funding could truly remedy. “Adaptation is essential, but it does not give us a license to continue with flawed economic models that contribute to climate change,” she said.
Addressing climate finance, she noted that Bangladesh’s adaptation needs have been scientifically assessed, strengthening its case for international funding. However, she expressed concern over the slow and inadequate flow of climate finance, particularly the prevalence of loans instead of grants. “At COP29, we saw financial commitments, but if funds arrive too late or come in the form of loans, they may worsen our financial burden instead of offering solutions,” she cautioned.
She commended the workshop’s unique approach, bringing together lenders and bilateral partners to discuss effective climate financing.
She emphasized that while funding and technology are important, true solutions must be community-driven. “Many climate-affected people are unaware of the discussions taking place in rooms like this. Connecting investors with ground realities is crucial to ensure meaningful, sustainable interventions,” she noted.
The Advisor also called for a paradigm shift in development priorities, stressing that success should not be measured solely by economic growth but by sustainability and resilience. “From Dhaka to Los Angeles, the world must learn that humans cannot dominate nature—we must live in harmony with it,” she said. She urged the government to enhance public transport, promote resource conservation, and integrate climate considerations into all development investments.
Highlighting local adaptation challenges, she cited the ongoing waterlogging crisis in Khulna and Jashore—an unintended consequence of past engineering projects. She stressed the importance of learning from such experiences and incorporating environmental impact assessments into future planning. “Despite facing severe hardships, Bangladesh’s farmers have never gone on strike. They continue to feed the nation. It is our responsibility to support them by connecting local solutions with expert knowledge and new technologies,” she remarked.
In conclusion, she urged all stakeholders—government agencies, the private sector, and development partners—to take decisive action. “We do not need more reports; we need real action on the ground. Time is running out, and the people of Bangladesh need your support,” she stated.
Sarah Cooke, British High Commissioner;
Gwyn Lewis, Resident Coordinator, The United Nations; Hoe Yun Jeong, Country Director, Asian Development Bank, Bangladesh; Dr. FH Ansary, President, ACI Agrobusinesses; Dr. Nandan Mukherjee, Climate Change and Adaptation Lead, UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science, University of Dundee, The United Kingdom; Dr. John Murton, Senior Sustainability Adviser, Standard Chartered Bank;
Enamul Huque, Head of Corporate Client Coverage, Corporate & Investment Banking, Standard Chartered Bank. and Arinjoy Dhar, Senior Director, Microfinance, BRAC aslo spoke in the occasion.
The workshop concluded with a call for enhanced collaboration to scale up climate adaptation efforts, ensuring that investments are both effective and equitable.