The urgency of climate change demands innovative solutions, and green building practices are emerging as a powerful force in mitigating carbon emissions. However, the potential of green buildings extends beyond simply reducing a building's carbon footprint. By implementing sustainable design and construction techniques, carbon trading opportunities can be unlocked, creating a financial incentive for environmentally responsible development.  This article focuses on the prospects of green building in Bangladesh that generates carbon credits, explores the different carbon trading mechanisms available, and ultimately showcases the exciting possibilities of leveraging sustainable building for a cleaner, more profitable future. What Is a Green Building? A green building is a structure that is designed, constructed, and operated in an environmentally responsible and resource-efficient manner. It focuses on sustainability by reducing the negative impact on the environment while enhancing the well-being of its occupants. Read more: Top 3 Books in English on the Bangladesh Sundarbans Key Features of Green Buildings Energy Efficiency: Uses renewable energy sources (like solar or wind), energy-efficient lighting, and smart building technologies. Water Conservation: Incorporates water-efficient fixtures, rainwater harvesting, and wastewater recycling. Sustainable Materials: Uses eco-friendly, recycled, or locally sourced materials to minimize environmental impact. Indoor Environmental Quality: Ensures proper ventilation, natural lighting, and non-toxic building materials for better air quality. Waste Reduction: Promotes recycling, composting, and sustainable construction waste management. Site Sustainability: Minimizes land disturbance, promotes green roofs, and supports biodiversity. Low Carbon Footprint: Reduces greenhouse gas emissions through efficient design and operation. Read more: What is Carbon Trading? How does it work? International Certifications for Green Buildings LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design): A widely recognized certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method): A UK-based certification.WELL Certification: Focuses on human health and well-being.Green Star: Used in Australia.EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies): Popular in developing countries. Green buildings help combat climate change, reduce utility costs, and create healthier spaces for people to live and work.  What Is Carbon Credit? A carbon credit is a permit or certificate that represents the right to emit one metric tonne of carbon dioxide (CO₂) or an equivalent amount of another greenhouse gas (GHG). These credits are used as part of efforts to reduce global emissions and combat climate change. Companies or entities that emit less CO₂ than their allocated limit can sell their unused credits to others that exceed their limits. Read more: Top Strategies to Enhance Fire Resilience in Dhaka City What Is Carbon Trading? Carbon trading, also known as emissions trading, is the process of buying and selling carbon credits to control greenhouse gas emissions. It is part of a cap-and-trade system, where governments or regulatory bodies set a limit (cap) on total emissions and issue credits accordingly. How Green Buildings Create Potential for Carbon Trading Green buildings contribute to carbon trading by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making them eligible to generate and trade carbon credits. Here’s how: Energy Efficiency & Lower Emissions Green buildings use energy-efficient HVAC systems, LED lighting, and smart building technology, reducing carbon emissions from electricity consumption. By cutting fossil fuel-based energy use, buildings emit less CO₂, allowing them to earn carbon credits under emission reduction programs. Renewable Energy Integration Many green buildings install solar panels, wind turbines, or geothermal energy systems, reducing reliance on grid electricity generated from fossil fuels. Excess renewable energy can be fed into the grid, generating renewable energy credits (RECs) that can be sold in carbon markets. Read more: Organizational strategies to minimize earthquake damages in Dhaka City Sustainable Materials & Low Carbon Construction Using low-carbon concrete, recycled steel, and timber reduces the embodied carbon in construction. Buildings that incorporate carbon capture materials (like CO₂-absorbing cement) can qualify for carbon offset programs. Water & Waste Management Rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and water-efficient fixtures reduce the energy required for water treatment and supply. Waste reduction through composting and recycling lowers methane emissions from landfills, allowing buildings to claim waste management carbon credits. Green Certifications & Carbon Credit Eligibility Certified green buildings (e.g., LEED, BREEAM, EDGE) may qualify for carbon offset projects, making them eligible for trading in voluntary carbon markets. Large property developers can sell carbon credits for portfolio-wide emissions reductions, making green buildings a financial asset in carbon trading. Smart Building Technology & Carbon Monitoring AI and IoT-based energy monitoring systems help track and reduce carbon emissions. Verified reductions can be certified as carbon credits and sold in compliance or voluntary carbon markets. Read more: Flood Control and How to Minimise Losses How Green Buildings in Bangladesh Can Contribute to Carbon Trading Bangladesh has been making significant strides in sustainable architecture and green building development due to growing environmental concerns, energy efficiency needs, and compliance with international sustainability standards. The country is one of the global leaders in green industrial buildings, particularly in the textile and garment sector. With the right implementation of carbon reduction initiatives in Bangladesh, the nation might earn billions of US dollars annually from global carbon trading. In 2022, the global carbon trading market was valued at $4.5 trillion, and it may grow to $8.98 trillion. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggested an average price of $75 per unit, with each carbon credit equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide. Carbon markets have only brought in a few hundred million US dollars for Bangladesh thus far. Bangladesh could make much more, though, because the nation is among the lowest carbon polluters in the world, contributing only 0.5% of global emissions. Growth of Green Buildings in Bangladesh In Bangladesh, over 200+ factories in the ready-made garments (RMG) sector are certified by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The trend of green commercial, residential, and industrial buildings is increasing in Dhaka, Chattogram, Gazipur, and Narayanganj. Read more: Can a Sponge City Tackle Flooding in Dhaka? Green Building Certifications & Policies in Bangladesh LEED Certification (USGBC): The most recognized certification in Bangladesh.Bangladesh Green Building Guidelines: Developed by the Bangladesh Green Building Council (BGBC).EDGE Certification: Promoted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC).Sustainable & Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA): Encourages energy-efficient buildings. Benefits of Green Buildings in Bangladesh Lower Energy Costs: Reduces electricity bills through solar energy and energy-efficient appliances.Water Conservation: Rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling.Healthier Indoor Air Quality: Improves well-being by reducing pollution.Carbon Credit Trading: Potential to earn revenue by reducing CO₂ emissions.Global Market Competitiveness: Many eco-friendly garment factories attract international buyers. Read more: How to Build Dhaka as a Water Wise City How Bangladesh Can Sell Carbon Credits First, identification of green industry projects. Then, get certified by Carbon Standards. The green industry projects must be verified and registered under recognized carbon credit standards such as the Gold Standard (GS), Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of UNFCCC, etc. After that, emission reductions will be verified. Certified auditors measure CO₂ reduction to validate the credits. Finally, engaging in the global carbon trading markets. There are two types of carbon trading markets: Compliance Carbon Market: Sell credits to companies in regulated markets like the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM): Sell credits to international companies looking to offset emissions voluntarily. Read more: Green Roofs in Dhaka City: Pathway to Smart Urban Agriculture Challenges for Bangladesh in Carbon Trading and Probable Solutions A lack of awareness and expertise in carbon trading has limited the scope of Bangladesh's earnings from selling carbon credits in the international markets. High initial costs for certification are another bar. Furthermore, the country have a limited policy and regulatory framework that can support the carbon trading process. Verification and monitoring issues are also required to enhance the potential of Bangladesh in this sector. To overcome these limitations, essential training and capacity-building programs on carbon trading can be helpful. Government incentives and subsidies can encourage commercial projects, industrial establishments, and residential owners to opt for green buildings.  Therefore, a national carbon trading policy should be developed and a national carbon credit registry should be introduced to streamline the process in Bangladesh. Public-private partnerships (PPP) can drive large-scale green building projects in different districts. Moreover, foreign investments in green building and associated carbon offset projects should be encouraged to enhance the country’s carbon trading scope. Expanding the carbon market to SMEs and rural green industries can boost economic benefits. Besides these, by partnering with international carbon credit certifiers, Bangladesh can go a long way in carbon trading. Read more: What Can Dhaka Learn from the Smart City Singapore Final Thoughts Green buildings reduce carbon emissions and create financial opportunities through carbon trading, encouraging real estate developers, corporations, and governments to invest in sustainable construction. Bangladesh has been leading the way in green industrial buildings, especially in the garment sector, and is gradually expanding to commercial and residential areas. The country have huge potential to earn from carbon trading by promoting green industries and green building projects. With the right policies, international partnerships, and investments, Bangladesh can turn carbon reduction into a financial asset while combating climate change. Read more: Plastic Pollution: Harmful effects on human health and environment

Carbon emissions, primarily in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄), contribute to global warming, climate change,  and sea-level rising which in turn increase the frequency and intensity of natural phenomena, and disasters like cyclones, floods, wildfire, drought, heatwave, etc. Reduction of carbon emissions has multifarious environmental, economic, social, and health benefits. Carbon trading is both a benefit and a mechanism for reducing carbon emissions. Here’s how it works and why it can be beneficial.  What is Carbon Trading Carbon trading, also known as carbon emissions trading, is a market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It allows countries, companies, or organizations to buy and sell permits that represent the right to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. By putting a price on carbon emissions, it incentivizes participants to lower their emissions and invest in cleaner technologies. Carbon emissions trading operates under a cap-and-trade system where governments or organizations set a limit (cap) on total emissions. Companies receive or buy carbon credits, which allow them to emit a certain amount of CO₂. If a company emits less than its allowance, it can sell its excess credits to others. If a company exceeds its limit, it must buy more credits or face penalties. Carbon trading is a benefit of reducing emissions because it creates financial incentives for businesses to go green. However, it works best when proper regulations and transparency ensure that actual emission reductions occur. Read more: Plastic Pollution: Harmful effects on human health and environment What Is the Process of Carbon Credit Sale? The process of selling carbon credits involves several steps, from generating the credits to finding buyers and completing the transaction. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown: Carbon Credit Generation A company or project must first reduce or remove greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through activities like reforestation, renewable energy projects, or carbon capture. The emission reduction must be measured, verified, and certified by an independent third party. Verification & Certification The project must be validated by recognized carbon standards such as: Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Climate Action Reserve (CAR), etc. These standards ensure that each credit represents one metric ton of CO₂ reduced or removed. Registration on a Carbon Registry Verified carbon credits are registered on platforms like: Verra, American Carbon Registry (ACR), Gold Standard Registry, etc. Each credit receives a unique serial number to prevent double counting. Read more: How Can One Person Reduce Environmental Pollution? Finding Buyers There are two main types of carbon markets: Compliance or Regulated Markets are created by government regulations to limit carbon emissions. Companies must buy carbon credits if they exceed their allowed emissions cap. In the Cap-and-Trade system, governments set a maximum emission limit (cap). Companies emitting less than their limit can sell excess credits to others exceeding their cap. Some countries impose a carbon tax, but companies can reduce their tax burden by purchasing credits. Major Compliance Markets include the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), California Cap-and-Trade Program, China’s National ETS, Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), etc. In the Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCM) markets, companies and individuals buy carbon credits voluntarily to offset their emissions. These credits come from projects that remove or reduce CO₂ emissions, such as reforestation, renewable energy, and carbon capture. Read more: Effects of Air Pollution on Unborn Children, Neonates, Infants

Hainan island in the South China Sea says it will become China's first region to ban sales of gasoline- and diesel-powered cars to curb climate-changing carbon emissions. Sales of fossil fuel-powered cars will be banned by 2030 and electric vehicles promoted with tax breaks and by expanding a charging network, the Hainan provincial government said in a “Carbon Peak Implementation Plan.” The announcement comes as China struggles through its hottest, driest summer in decades, which has wilted crops and shrunk rivers and reservoirs used for generating hydropower. Read: China and US spar over climate on Twitter “By 2030, the whole province will ban sales of fueled vehicles,” according to the plan, which was released Monday. A deputy Chinese industry minister said in September 2017 that Beijing was working on a plan to stop making and selling gasoline- and diesel-powered cars, but the government has yet to release details. Hainan aims to have electric vehicles account for 45% of its vehicles by 2030, the plan said. It said cities would develop “zero-emissions zones” where fossil fuel-powered vehicles would be banned. The ruling Communist Party is promoting electric cars to help clean up China’s smog-choked cities and gain an early lead in a growing industry. China accounted for more than half of last year’s global electric car sales.

The Power Division and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cut carbon emissions in Bangladesh, helping ensure the country's energy security. Power Division Deputy Secretary Nirodh Chandra Mandol and Rebecca Robinson, acting director of the Economic Growth Office of the USAID, signed the MoU in Dhaka Sunday to implement the project "Bangladesh Advancing Development and Growth Through Energy (BADGE)." Under the project, $17.2 million will be spent to cut carbon emissions in the country, Power Division Secretary Habibur Rahman said. Read: AIBL signs agreement with Padma Diagnostic According to the Power Division, the project will also help increase the cooperation between the private sector and educationists in reducing carbon emissions. The BADGE project will also help improve regulatory oversight of energy systems by creating transparent and efficient energy markets, it added. Power Division Additional Secretary Md Mohsin Chowdhury, Bangladesh Power Development Board Chairman Mahbubur Rahman and Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain also spoke at the event.

China, the world’s top emitter of carbon dioxide that causes global warming, has seen a notable dip in its emissions over the past three quarters — but it’s not clear how long the drop will continue. A new analysis of China’s economic data shows that carbon emissions dropped 1.4% in the first three months of the year, compared to the prior year, making it the third consecutive quarter to show a drop — and the longest sustained dip in a decade. The downward trend began last year and accelerated over the winter. The decline continued but was milder this spring. Also read: Globe bounces back to nearly 2019 carbon pollution levels It's not clear whether China's emissions will continue to fall this year. Over the past decade, five shorter dips were followed by rebounding emissions. China's recent emissions decline was driven by decreased output in cement, steel and power industries, as well as COVID lockdown measures, according to an analysis by Lauri Myllyvirta, a Finland-based climate and energy analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. “Steel and cement are China’s second and third largest emitting sectors, and the demand for both sectors is largely driven by construction activity," but policy changes on real estate lending and debt have at least temporarily depressed the construction sector, Myllyvirta wrote in an analysis for Carbon Brief. Whether China meets its long-term goal to become carbon neutral by 2060 depends in large part on what happens in its power sector. And that depends upon how quickly the world's second largest economy can move away from coal. China's leaders have recently doubled-down on plans to promote coal-fired power, calling for coal production capacity to increase by 300 million tons this year, or 7% over last year. Li Shuo, a senior global policy adviser for Greenpeace, told the Associated Press in April that economic concerns, including those related to China's zero-COVID policy, meant that China's leaders were prioritizing energy security over moving away from fossil fuels, at least in the short-term. Also read: Carbon dioxide levels hit 50% higher than preindustrial time “This mentality of ensuring energy security has become dominant, trumping carbon neutrality,” he said. China is currently the world’s largest carbon emitter, although other countries, such as the United States, have contributed a greater share of historic emissions. China’s carbon emissions increased by 750 megatonnes over the two-year period between 2019 and 2021, driving the global rebound in carbon emissions after the first phase of pandemic, according to the nonprofit Paris-based International Energy Agency.

China is promoting coal-fired power as the ruling Communist Party tries to revive a sluggish economy, prompting warnings Beijing is setting back efforts to cut climate-changing carbon emissions from the biggest global source. Official plans call for boosting coal production capacity by 300 million tons this year, according to news reports. That is equal to 7% of last year’s output of 4.1 billion tons, which was an increase of 5.7% over 2020. China is one of the biggest investors in wind and solar, but jittery leaders called for more coal-fired power after economic growth plunged last year and shortages caused blackouts and factory shutdowns. Russia’s attack on Ukraine added to anxiety that foreign oil and coal supplies might be disrupted. “This mentality of ensuring energy security has become dominant, trumping carbon neutrality,” said Li Shuo, a senior global policy adviser for Greenpeace. “We are moving into a relatively unfavorable time period for climate action in China.” Also read: China looks to learn from Russian failures in Ukraine Officials face political pressure to ensure stability as President Xi Jinping prepares to try to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term as ruling party leader in the autumn. Coal is important for “energy security,” Cabinet officials said at an April 20 meeting that approved plans to expand production capacity, according to Caixin, a business news magazine. The ruling party also is building power plants to inject money into the economy and revive growth that sank to 4% over a year earlier in the final quarter of 2021, down from the full year’s 8.1% expansion. Governments have pledged to try to limit warming of the atmosphere to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above the level of pre-industrial times. Leaders say what they really want is a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). Scientists say even if the world hits the 2-degree goal in the 2015 Paris climate pact and the 2021 Glasgow follow-up agreement, that still will lead to higher seas, stronger storms, extinctions of plants and animals and more people dying from heat, smog and infectious diseases. China is the top producer and consumer of coal. Global trends hinge on what Beijing does. The Communist Party has rejected binding emissions commitments, citing its economic development needs. Beijing has avoided joining governments that promised to phase out use of coal-fired power. In a 2020 speech to the United Nations, Xi said carbon emissions will peak by 2030, but he announced no target for the amount. Xi said China aims for carbon neutrality, or removing as much from the atmosphere by planting trees and other tactics as is emitted by industry and households, by 2060. China accounts for 26.1% of global emissions, more than double the U.S. share of 12.8%, according to the World Resources Institute. Rhodium Group, a research firm, says China emits more than all developed economies combined. Per person, China’s 1.4 billion people on average emit the equivalent of 8.4 tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to WRI. That is less than half the U.S. average of 17.7 tons but more than the European Union’s 7.5 tons. China has abundant supplies of coal and produced more than 90% of the 4.4 billion tons it burned last year. More than half of its oil and gas is imported and leaders see that as a strategic risk. Also read: Anti-virus shutdowns in China spread as infections rise China’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2060 appears to be on track, but using more coal “could jeopardize this, or at least slow it down and make it more costly,” Clare Perry of the Environmental Investigations Agency said in an email. Promoting coal will make emissions “much higher than they need to be” by the 2030 peak year, said Perry. “This move runs entirely counter to the science,” she said. Beijing has spent tens of billions of dollars on building solar and wind farms to reduce reliance on imported oil and gas and clean up its smog-choked cities. China accounted for about half of global investment in wind and solar in 2020. Still, coal is expected to supply 60% of its power in the near future. Beijing is cutting millions of jobs to shrink its bloated, state-owned coal mining industry, but output and consumption still are rising. Authorities say they are shrinking carbon emissions per unit of economic output. The government reported a reduction of 3.8% last year, better than 2020′s 1% but down from a 5.1% cut in 2017. Last year’s total energy use increased 5.2% over 2020 after a revival of global demand for Chinese exports propelled a manufacturing boom, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Stimulus spending also might raise carbon output if it pays for building more bridges, train stations and other public works. That would encourage carbon-intensive steel and cement production. China’s coal-fired power plants operate at about half their capacity on average, but building more creates jobs and economic activity, said Greenpeace’s Li. He said even if the power isn’t needed now, local leaders face pressure to make them pay for themselves. “That locks China into a more high-carbon path,” Li said. “It’s very difficult to fix.”

Before Russia’s war in Ukraine, Europe’s most pressing energy policy goal was reducing carbon emissions that cause climate change. Now, officials are fixated on rapidly reducing the continent’s reliance on Russian oil and natural gas — and that means friction between security and climate goals, at least in the short term. To wean itself from Russian energy supplies as quickly as possible, Europe will need to burn more coal and build more pipelines and terminals to import fossil fuels from elsewhere. This dramatic shift comes amid soaring fuel costs for motorists, homeowners and businesses, and as political leaders reassess the geopolitical risks from being so energy-dependent on Russia. In 2021, the European Union imported roughly 40% of its gas and 25% of its oil from Russia — an economic relationship that officials had thought would prevent hostilities, but is instead financing them. Read:West needs more courage in helping Ukraine fight: Zelenskyy While some are calling for an immediate boycott of all Russian oil and gas, the EU plans to reduce Russian gas imports by two-thirds by the end of this year, and to eliminate them altogether before 2030. This “will not be easy,” said Paolo Gentiloni, the EU’s top economic official. But, he added, “it can be done.” In the near-term, ending energy ties with Russia puts the focus on securing alternative sources of fossil fuels. But longer term, the geopolitical and price pressures stoked by Russia’s war in Ukraine may actually accelerate Europe’s transition away from oil, gas and coal. Experts say the war has served as a reminder that renewable energy isn’t just good for the climate, but also for national security. That could help speed up the development of wind and solar power, as well as provide a boost to conservation and energy-efficiency initiatives. The EU has pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 55% compared with 1990 levels by 2030, and to get to net zero emissions by 2050. Analysts and officials say those goals, enshrined in EU climate legislation, can still be met. The rapid pursuit of energy independence from Russia will likely require “a slight increase” in carbon emissions, said George Zachmann, an energy expert at the Bruegel think tank in Brussels. But “in the long term, the effect will be that we will see more investment in renewables and energy efficiency in Europe,” Zachmann said. Plans that wouldn’t have been contemplated just a few months ago are now being actively discussed, such as running coal plants in Germany beyond 2030, which had previously been seen as an end date. Germany’s vice chancellor and energy minister, Robert Habeck, said there should be “no taboos.” The Czech government has made the same calculation about extending the life of coal power plants. “We will need it until we find alternative sources,” Czech energy security commissioner Václav Bartuška, told the news site Seznam Zprávy. “Until that time, even the greenest government will not phase out coal.” One of Europe’s top priorities is to buy more liquefied natural gas that can come by ship. On Friday, American and European officials announced a plan under which the U.S. and other nations will increase liquefied gas exports to Europe this year, though U.S. officials were unable to say exactly which countries will provide the extra energy this year. Germany, which lacks import terminals to turn LNG back into gas when it comes off the ship, is pushing ahead with two multibillion-euro projects on its North Sea coast. The war also has revived Spain’s interest in extending a gas pipeline across the Pyrenees to France. The 450 million-euro ($500 million) project had been abandoned in 2019 after France showed little interest and a European feasibility study deemed it unprofitable and unnecessary. If built, it would allow gas imported in Spain and Portugal as LNG to reach other parts of Europe. In Britain, which is no longer part of the EU, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says it’s “time to take back control of our energy supplies.” Britain will phase out the small amount of oil it imports from Russia this year. More significantly, Johnson has signaled plans to approve new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, to the dismay of environmentalists, who say that is incompatible with Britain’s climate targets. Read:Rocket attacks hit Ukraine's Lviv as Biden visits Poland Some within the governing Conservative Party and the wider political right want the British government to retreat on its commitment to reach net zero by 2050, a pledge made less than six months ago at a global climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. Conservative Party co-chairman Oliver Dowden said last week that “British people want to see a bit of conservative pragmatism, not net zero dogma.” Yet the shock waves from the war cut both ways. Sharply higher gas and electricity prices, and the desire to be less dependent on Russia, are increasing pressure to expand the development of home-grown renewables and to propel conservation. The International Energy Agency recently released a 10-point plan for Europe to reduce its dependence on Russian gas by a third within a year. Simply lowering building thermostats by an average of one degree Celsius during the home-heating season would save 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year, or roughly 6% of what Europe imports from Russia. At the German rooftop solar panel company Zolar, chief executive Alex Melzer said there has been a surge of inquiries from potential customers since the war began. “With the Ukraine crisis, we’ve really seen that people are wondering whether Germany is going to stop buying oil and gas from Russia and what’s going to happen to our electricity and energy system,” he told The Associated Press. Melzer said customers are less interested in saving the planet than in saving money, despite the upfront investment of 20,000 euros ($22,000). But it amounts to the same thing: a reduction in fossil fuel use and thereby emissions. “Goal achieved, super,” he said.

Reiterating the need for reducing global carbon emissions, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on world leaders "to turn pledges into action" to stave off the worst consequences of climate change. Showcasing Bangladesh's efforts in the fight against climate change, Hasina hasurged world leaders to join her in fixing the global problem that "requires a great deal of fortitude, imagination, hope and leadership". "If western leaders listen, engage and act decisively on what science demands of them, there is still time to make COP26 the success it desperately needs to be," she wrote in an article published by leading British daily 'Financial Times'. Read:'COP26 outcomes crucial for climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh' In the article, "We need a global ‘climate prosperity plan’ not empty pledges", Hasina slammed the developed nations for not taking seriously the needs of those countries most immediately affected by climate change. "Bangladesh was born 50 years ago this year, a birth shrouded in blood and pain. My father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, inspired and led our independence struggle. It is in his memory that we have named our climate prosperity plan the Mujib Plan," she wrote.  'Climate change is a very different foe from those he faced, but dealing with it requires a great deal of fortitude, imagination, hope and leadership. "The inconvenient truth of our times is that while action on climate change has never been more urgent and achievable, governments are not cutting emissions fast enough to keep nations such as mine safe," Hasina wrote.

Just as the European Union was announcing plans to spend billions of euros to contain climate change, massive clouds gathered over Germany and nearby nations to unleash an unprecedented storm that left death and destruction in its wake. Despite ample warnings, politicians and weather forecasters were shocked at the ferocity of the precipitation that caused flash flooding that claimed more than 150 lives this week in the lush rolling hills of Western Europe. Read: Rescuers race to prevent more deaths from European floods Climate scientists say the link between extreme weather and global warming is unmistakable and the urgency to do something about climate change undeniable. Scientists can’t yet say for sure whether climate change caused the flooding, but they insist that it certainly exacerbates the extreme weather that has been on show from the western U.S. and Canada to Siberia to Europe’s Rhine region. Read: Death toll from Europe floods tops 150 as water recedes “There is a clear link between extreme precipitation occurring and climate change,” Wim Thiery, a professor at Brussels University, said Friday. Stefan Rahmstorf, a professor of ocean physics at the University of Potsdam, referring to the recent heat records set in the U.S. and Canada, said “some are so extreme that they would be virtually impossible without global warming..” Taking them all together, said Sir David King, chair of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group, “these are casualties of the climate crisis: we will only see these extreme weather events become more frequent.” For Diederik Samsom, the European Commission’s Cabinet chief behind this week’s massive proposals to spend billions and force industry into drastic reforms to help cut the bloc’s emissions of the gases that cause global warming by 55% this decade, this week’s disaster was a cautionary tale. “People are washed away in Germany ... and Belgium and the Netherlands, too. We are experiencing climate change,” he said on a conference call of the European Policy Centre think tank. “A few years ago, you had to point to a point in the future or far away on the planet to talk about climate change. It’s happening now — here.” And climate scientists point toward two specific things that have contributed to this week’s calamity. First, with every 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) rise in temperature, the air can take in 7% more humidity. It can hold the water longer, leading to drought, but it also leads to an increase in dense, massive rainfall once it releases it. Another defining factor is the tendency for storms to hover over one place for far longer than usual, thus dumping increasing amounts of rain on a smaller patch of the world. Scientists say warming is a contributing factor there, too. A jet stream of high winds six miles (nearly 10 kilometers) high helps determine the weather over Europe and is fed by temperature differences between the tropics and the Arctic. Yet as Europe warms — with Scandinavia currently experiencing an unusual heat wave — the jet stream is weakened, causing its meandering course to stop, sometimes for days, Thiery said. He said such a phenomenon was visible in Canada too, where it helped cause a “heat dome” in which temperatures rose to 50 C (122 F). “And it is causing the heavy rain that we have seen in Western Europe,” he said. Even if greenhouse gas emissions are drastically curbed in the coming decades, the amount of carbon dioxide and other planet-heating gases already in the atmosphere means extreme weather is going to become more likely. Experts say such phenomena will hit those areas that aren’t prepared for it particularly hard. “We need to make our built environment — buildings, outdoor spaces, cities — more resilient to climate change,” said Lamia Messari-Becker, a professor of engineering at the University of Siegen. Those that don’t adapt will risk greater loss of life and damage to property, said Ernst Rauch, chief climate and geoscientist at the reinsurance giant Munich Re. “The events of today and yesterday or so give us a hint that we need to do better with respect to being ready for these these type of events,” he said. “The events themselves are not really unexpected, but the sort of the order of magnitude probably has surprised some.”

Governor Jay Inslee of the U.S. state of Washington on Thursday complained that a state court ruling will negatively affect his government's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.