Rizwana calls for urgent climate adaptation actions

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has called for urgent, scalable climate adaptation actions.

“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 said while speaking as the chief guest at a workshop on Thursday.

Standard Chartered Bank organised the workshop on “Catalyzing Climate Adaptation Actions at Scale and Mobilizing Investments” at The Westin, Dhaka on Thursday.

“Adaptation is essential, but it does not give us a license to continue with flawed economic models that contribute to climate change,” added the adviser

“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,” Rizwana also said.

She commended the workshop’s unique approach, bringing together lenders and bilateral partners to discuss effective climate financing.

“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,” the environment adviser said.

“From Dhaka to Los Angeles, the world must learn that humans cannot dominate nature—we must live in harmony with it,” she said.

“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 added.

British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke, British High Commissioner; United Nations Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis and Asian Development Bank Country Director Hoe Yun Jeong spoke at the event, among others.