Antalya:Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has expressed a strong commitment to transforming Bangladesh into a trillion-dollar, climate-resilient, and sustainable economy. He emphasized the necessity of balancing economic growth with environmental protection during his address at the High-Level Segment of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Rahman highlighted Bangladesh's frontline position in the battle against climate change, noting the country's minimal contribution of less than 0.5% to global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these challenges, he affirmed Bangladesh's dedication to economic and environmental objectives.
Rahman outlined several initiatives, including meeting 20% of electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030 and developing 4,000 megawatts of solar power with tax incentives. The government is also promoting waste-to-energy projects, green industries, and environmentally friendly transport options like electric vehicles, alongside initiatives to encourage the use of products such as jute bags.
A national framework for carbon trading is under development as part of efforts to support a sustainable economy. The Prime Minister also announced plans to plant 250 million trees over the next five years and to excavate 20,000 kilometers of rivers and canals to manage water resources and mitigate flood risks. Restoration of mangroves on reclaimed coastal lands is underway to strengthen community protection and climate resilience.
He stressed the importance of involving women and young people in climate action, creating green jobs, and reducing global emissions to maintain the 1.5-degree Celsius target. Rahman called for urgent actions for climate-vulnerable countries, including allocating at least 50% of international climate finance to adaptation and introducing debt-relief measures. He expressed hope for COP31 to yield significant and balanced outcomes for the most climate-affected nations.