Bangladesh has made significant strides in formulating long-term plans to combat climate change, including the ambitious Centenary Delta Plan. However, the nation's annual budget allocations fall short of what's required to implement these critical measures.
This discrepancy was highlighted at a seminar on self-reliant climate finance organized by EquityBD, AOSED, CLEAN, CSRL, and COAST Foundation at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, reads a press release.
Climate expert Dr Qazi Khalikuzzaman Ahmad, who presided over the seminar, underscored the urgent need for adequate financial support to turn plans into action. Abul Hasan, project head of the Coast Foundation, delivered the keynote address, emphasising three primary demands for climate finance.
He advocated for at least 3% of the GDP to be dedicated to climate finance in the national budget, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign loans and ensure local needs are met, especially for coastal protection.
The seminar also brought to light the stark contrast between planning and execution in renewable energy development.
Hasan Mehdi from CLEAN highlighted that the national five-year plan aimed for a 10% renewable energy system by 2025, yet only 3% has been achieved so far. This gap underscores the challenges in translating plans into tangible outcomes.
Environmental damage from mega projects was another critical issue discussed.
Sharif Jamil of Water Keepers Bangladesh pointed out that while budgets are allocated for large-scale developments, there is no provision for addressing the environmental harm they cause.
He cited the example of Chittagong City, where damaged canals from various projects lead to severe flooding every monsoon season.
Ziaul Haque Mukta from CSRL stressed the need for regional planning to address the localized impacts of climate change.
He noted that national strategies often fail to account for the varying regional effects, which require tailored solutions.
The seminar concluded with a call for stronger enforcement and community involvement.
Kazi Khalikuzzaman Ahmad highlighted the efforts of the National River Protection Commission, which identified 50,000 river encroachers.
However, without enforcement power, these initiatives fall short. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, executive director of COAST Foundation, emphasized the success of involving local communities in maintaining embankments, as seen in Bhola and Charfashion, suggesting this model could be replicated to enhance climate resilience.
