DHAKA, April 22, 2024 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury today said carrying out climate adaptation activities is a challenge for all nations, while global solidarity is an urgent for climate adaptation actions.

 
"Adaptation is not a challenge only for LDCs (least developed countries) but it is a challenge for all of us. So global solidarity is needed to this end," he said while moderating the second session of NAP Expo 2024 here.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the four-day UN Climate Adaptation Conference titled 'National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Expo 2024' and Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).

Speaking at the session on High-Level Transformational Dialogue, Saber Hossain pointed out that although per capita carbon emission of Bangladesh is only 0.48 percent, it is one of the worst victims of global climate change.

He said if the global temperature increases by one degree Celsius, the cost of climate adaptation programmes will go up.

"So, everything has to be seen in the lens of climate change...it is difficult to justify adaptation in terms of financial return," the climate change minister added.

He observed that different nations have been facing different climate crises, suggesting "think globally but work locally (in dealing with climate change impacts)".

Saber Hossain put emphasis on capacity building in carrying out climate actions. "How do we build the capacity to address the need of future? Finance is very important but the capacity is important too," he added.

Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Stiell and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, among other, spoke at the session.

Around 383 representatives from 104 countries have been participating in the four-day NAP Expo 2024 while 550 people, including representatives of various ministries, departments and organisations of the country, climate experts, representatives of NGOs and volunteers are joining it.