Bel©m: Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has stated that climate finance for Bangladesh is not just a matter of bargaining but a question of survival, justice, and human dignity. "We are here to seek solutions that correspond to the depth of our suffering," she said while addressing a session titled "From Local to Global: Youth Inclusion in the Loss and Damage Framework" at the UN Climate Conference (COP30) in Bel©m, Brazil, according to a PID handout today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the session was organized by the Loss and Damage Working Group of YOUNGO, the children and youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), at the Bangladesh Pavilion. The Adviser emphasized that Bangladesh is speaking on behalf of the least developed countries, whose lives, homes, and futures are being altered every day due to the climate crisis. She highlighted the importance of placing affected communities at the center of the framework to avoid rendering it meaningless.
Farida Akhter noted that Bangladesh is bringing young people to the forefront to address the increasing pressure of loss and damage caused by climate change. During the event, Department of Environment Director Mirza Shawkat Ali presented the keynote paper, stating that Bangladesh is preparing its national loss and damage framework, which will align with international agreements, and young people will be effectively engaged in this framework.
The panel discussion was moderated by Jasmima Sabatina, the working group's contact point. Youth representatives called for easier access to funds, real-time transparency tools, anticipatory financing, small grants, capacity building, permanent youth representation in fund management, and the development of an integrated data-driven platform.
The event was attended by Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global Sohanur Rahman, Nepal's youth representative Prayash Adhikari, climate policy analyst Harjeet Singh, along with government and non-government officials.