24 September : Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has addressed a high-level meeting on climate action and a just transition, held as part of the High-Level Week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The meeting took place on Wednesday afternoon, 24 September, at the Trusteeship Council Chamber of the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Convened at the initiative of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the meeting focused on strengthening international cooperation to address the adverse impacts of climate change, advance climate justice and ensure a sustainable and equitable energy transition.
Bangladesh is among the countries most vulnerable to the risks posed by climate change. Drawing on the country’s climate vulnerabilities and extensive experience, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman highlighted the need for more effective international support from developed countries to address the adverse consequences of climate change.
He emphasised the importance of ensuring adequate climate financing, strengthening adaptation capacity, facilitating the transfer of necessary technologies and advancing climate justice. The meeting also underscored the need to enhance the capacity of vulnerable countries to cope with the impacts of the climate crisis, while strengthening responsible and effective international cooperation.
Heads of state and government, representatives of international organisations, multilateral development banks, the business community and civil society participated in the high-level meeting.
One of the key objectives of the meeting was to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement and strengthen practical international cooperation in addressing the climate crisis. Emphasis was placed on ensuring that the needs and real-world experiences of countries bearing the greatest burden of climate change remain at the centre of international initiatives.