Mintoo stresses coordinated climate programmes, strong financing
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo today stressed turning national climate policies and plans into coordinated programmes, quality projects, appropriate financing and bringing measurable results.
He said today’s development decisions would shape climate risks for decades to come. Every major investment must therefore take the climate conditions of the relevant area into account, he said.
The environment minister made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the two-day Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP) Knowledge Conference 2026 at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.
On the occasion, he launched the BCDP Web Portal. Through real-time project monitoring, the digital portal will help manage information on climate-related projects and investment, enhance transparency and improve processes for developing domestic and international climate finance pipelines.
In his speech, Mintoo said adaptation investments often deliver significant public benefits even when they do not generate direct revenue.
Climate financing arrangements must reflect Bangladesh’s development priorities and fiscal capacity, he said, calling for private investment in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure.
Emphasising the importance of drawing on local communities’ experience in planning, the environment minister said women, young people, persons with disabilities and marginalised communities must have meaningful opportunities to participate in project design, implementation and monitoring.
Alongside effective institutions, sound investment decisions and transparent use of resources, Bangladesh would continue to call for international support and climate justice in addressing adaptation and climate-related loss and damage, he said.
Speaking as a special guest, State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam highlighted increasing coastal salinity, declining crop production and growing pressures on people’s lives and livelihoods caused by climate change.
He said the government was prioritising nature-based solutions to address these challenges.
He also highlighted canal excavation and tree-planting programmes, as well as the government’s emphasis on expanding the use of electric buses and solar power for low-carbon development.
The state minister sought active cooperation from partner organisations to make BCDP’s activities more dynamic and effective.
Also speaking as a special guest, Dr Md Saimum Parvez, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said Bangladesh’s climate adaptation experience was a story of courage, innovation and collective action.
He called for sharing Bangladesh’s experience in early warning systems and community-based adaptation, and for translating the conference discussions into concrete commitments, effective partnerships and practical action.
ADB Executive Director Satya Srinivas Lolla, who represents Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Lao PDR, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, said implementing Bangladesh’s national climate plans required substantial investment from both the public and private sectors.
The conference’s success would be determined by subsequent action and investment, he said.
He emphasised bringing together financing, technical expertise, institutional capacity and partnerships to help Bangladesh move from planning to implementation.
Discussions on the first day focused on climate resilience and low-carbon growth, the National Adaptation Plan and implementation of NDC 3.0.
Tomorrow, sessions will address energy transition, low-carbon transport, water resources management, climate-resilient agriculture and the preparation of investment-ready projects, among other topics.
The opening ceremony was chaired by Dr. Fahmida Khanam, Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Mohammad Navid Shafiullah, Additional Secretary (Climate Change), delivered the welcome address, while Joint Secretary Munira Sultana moderated the event.
Organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with support from the Asian Development Bank, the two-day conference brought together more than 500 policymakers, development partners, experts, private sector representatives, academics and civil society representatives.