Climate policy must be translated into effective projects and measurable results: Environment Minister

He said this 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 Wednesday (October 7).

The minister said, today's development decisions will determine climate risk for the coming decades. Therefore, it is essential to take into account the climate situation of the relevant area in large investments. Climate finance needs to reflect Bangladesh's development priorities and financial capacity.

At the event, the minister inaugurated the BCDP web portal. He said that through this digital platform, management of information on climate projects and investments, real-time monitoring of projects, and domestic and international climate financing activities will become more transparent and effective.

Emphasizing the participation of local communities in planning and project implementation, Abdul Awal Mintu said meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities and marginalized communities must be ensured. He also called for increasing private investment in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure.

Minister of State for Environment Sheikh Faridul Islam said that due to climate change, salinity is increasing in coastal areas, crop production is declining and pressure on people's lives and livelihoods is growing. To tackle these, nature-based and low-carbon initiatives such as canal excavation, tree plantation, and increasing the use of electric buses and solar power are being taken.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Md. Saymum Parvez emphasized local leadership, accessible financing, capacity building, and transparency and accountability in climate adaptation.

At the conference, Executive Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Satya Srinivas Lolla said investment from both the public and private sectors is needed to implement Bangladesh's climate plans. It is necessary to move from planning to implementation by coordinating financing, technical skills, institutional capacity and partnerships.

On the first day of the conference, discussions were held on climate resilience, low-carbon growth, the National Adaptation Plan and implementation of NDC 3.0. Tomorrow, discussions will be held on energy transition, low-carbon transport, water resources management, climate-resilient agriculture and investable projects.

More than five hundred policymakers, development partners, experts, private sector representatives, academics and civil society representatives are participating in the conference organized with the support of the Ministry and ADB.