British Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director, Matt Cannell has said Bangladesh and the UK continue to work closely to turn climate commitments into action and have common objectives for COP28.

"It is vital that COP28 keeps the 1.5 degree target alive, makes progress towards a clean energy transition, away from fossil fuels, and rebuilds trust on climate financing commitments," he said while speaking at climate discussion on Thursday evening.

In March 2023, ministers from Bangladesh and the UK signed a climate accord, where both countries pledged to work together to raise global ambition on climate action and deliver the outcomes of COP26 and COP27.

The British High Commission Dhaka organised the multi-stakeholder climate discussion at the High Commissioner’s Residence.

The discussion titled “Towards COP28: Building momentum for climate action” brought together representatives from policymakers, academic, private sectors, civil society, youth and media.

The purpose of this discussion was to understand the expectations and views of different stakeholders to inform the UK’s engagement at COP28 and to guide the bilateral climate partnership with Bangladesh beyond that.

The event consisted of two panel discussions: the role of youth in climate action, and private sector engagement in climate change. This was followed by a question and answer session.

The panellists highlighted that the COP28 is a unique opportunity to speak as one voice on shared priorities to avoid the most damaging impacts of climate change.

The discussion emphasised the importance of youth leadership in the policy-making process to accelerate climate action.

The panellists have also raised the challenges young people often face when engaging in climate action.

The panel discussion on the private sector focused on the incentives that might enable the private sector to engage more in climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The discussants also emphasised how Bangladesh can harness the benefits of carbon markets, digital revolution, NGO-private sector partnerships, and Just Transition in the RMG Sector in Bangladesh.

A priority for the UK is to ensure that COP28 delivers an outcome that puts the world on track in climate action, said the British High Commission in Dhaka on Friday.

The UK said it will play a leading role in international negotiations and summits on the road to COP28 and beyond – working with partners and encouraging higher ambition.