An environment-friendly, climate-tolerant development plan is needed to tide over the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic the world over, Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has said.

She was addressing the 'Green Approach to Covid-19 Recovery' session of the pre-COP 26 parliamentary meeting in Rome Friday. The session was organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Italian Parliament.

Citing Bangladesh's example, the Speaker said that the country's government focused on poverty-free, climate-tolerant and sustainable development initiatives to overcome the Covid-19 crisis. 

READ: Outgoing UNFPA country representative meets Speaker Dr Shirin

"The recovery of the economy is not possible without inclusive and ambitious planning. Unplanned investments and measures in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic could degrade the environment and cause climate damage by hampering the ongoing development," she said.

The Speaker said Bangladesh has given priority to inclusive green growth in the macroeconomic framework in the Eighth Five-Year Plan as a strategy to recover from Covid-19.

"Bangladesh is committed to developing the economy through the use of sustainable and renewable energy, with an emphasis on low-carbon practices. 

READ: Speaker Shirin Sharmin visits mazars in Sylhet

"About 6.2 million solar home systems have already been installed in off-grid rural areas of Bangladesh, ensuring the use of electricity by the people in those areas. The government has emphasised the use of mini grid solar irrigation and rooftop solar systems," Dr Shirin said.

The meeting was chaired by John Francis McPhail, Speaker of the House of Lords.