Dhaka-London for signing climate accord before COP26

Industry Desk: Dhaka and London have expressed hoped to sign a ‘climate accord’ between Bangladesh and the UK before COP 26, the crucial UN climate change summit to be held in Glasgow this November.
The two countries recognised the importance of developed countries delivering their collective climate finance goal to jointly mobilise US$100 billion annually by 2020 through to 2025 to address the needs of developing countries, a joint statement said on Thursday night.
The two countries issued the joint statement after the three-day visit of COP26 President-Designate, British MP Alok Sharma here to strengthen support for UK COP26 climate priorities as well as to discuss how the UK COP 26 Presidency will work with climate vulnerable countries.
During the visit here, Sharma called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, held a meeting with foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and attended a roundtable discussion on UK- Bangladesh Climate Partnership.
The joint statement said Bangladesh and the UK expressed optimism for a successful outcome of the COP26 and will consider a possible CVF-COP26 event at Glasgow.
UK COP26 Presidency and Bangladesh foreign minister hoped that the US$100 billion annual climate fund would be from a wide variety of sources, public and private, bilateral and multilateral and in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation.
The two countries agreed to work together to put nature at the heart of their climate action, build on the 2020 Leaders’ Pledge for Nature and realise shared commitments towards conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as those under the Global Ocean Alliance and the Commonwealth Blue Charter.
Sharma and Dr Momen jointly reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom in tackling climate change’s causes and adverse effects.

They agreed to demonstrate sustained leadership to tackle the climate emergency bilaterally and globally, said the statement.

The two countries agreed to exchange expertise, share technology, facilitate partnerships, and identify practical solutions to common climate challenges.

They expressed their resolve to work together to contribute to ensuring all countries meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement, and improve the resilience of those most vulnerable to climate change.

The two countries also reaffirmed their strong and steadfast commitment to strengthening implementation of UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.

They recognized the urgent need to make ambitious and accelerated efforts to limit average temperature rises to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, strengthen adaptation to the impacts of climate change, and scale up finance and support towards these ends.

The COP26 President- Designate welcomed the prospect of Bangladesh transitioning away from coal to clean and renewable energy, which will create economic growth and sustainable jobs.

Sharma and Momen called for increased climate action in the lead up to the COP26 Summit, which will be held in Glasgow in November keeping in consideration the development needs of individual countries.
They highlighted their commitment to achieving an ambitious outcome at COP 26, including through finalising the outstanding mandates of the Paris Rulebook.

The COP26 President-Designate underlined the importance of countries committing to achieving Net Zero emissions by the middle of the century, and for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to be aligned with this.

The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh underscored the necessity of securing commitments from global leaders, especially the G20, to curb global emissions substantially, arrest global temperature at 1.5 degrees, secure maximal climate finance especially for adaptation and concrete actions on low-carbon technology transfer.

Bangladesh is committed to submitting an ambitious updated NDC in coming weeks, with a net zero target in the near future.

The statement said the two countries will do more to avert, minimise, and address Loss and Damage while agreeing the structure and form of the Santiago Network will be vital.

“We will work together to get the network operating, following the UK-led Climate and Development Ministerial and drawing on the expertise in the UK, Bangladesh and internationally,” it added.

COP26 President-designate welcomed Bangladesh’s proactive leadership as the President of the Climate Vulnerable Forum and for voicing the existential threats and extreme climate risks faced by 48 of the most climate vulnerable countries.

Sharma welcomed Bangladesh’s Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan and Decade 2030 for capturing growth and prosperity through maximal resilience.

Bangladesh foreign minister commended the UK’s dynamic leadership of COP26 and their special focus on mitigation, adaptation and resilience, climate financing and international cooperation.

He also praised the UK for being the first major economy to declare net-zero emissions by 2050.

As founding members of the Adaptation Action Coalition, Bangladesh and the UK also renewed their commitment to work together with other Coalition members to accelerate adaptation on the ground with a particular emphasis on promoting locally led climate action.