Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh and Chair of ASEAN Dhaka Committee (ADC) Haznah Md Hashim has highlighted the critical role of governments towards finding a sustainable solution to the climate change issues. She said climate issues have a tremendous effect on countries all over the world, particularly those from the emerging economies. "Therefore, a collective effort, in not just ASEAN but also countries like Bangladesh, is needed to ensure governments meet its obligation under the Paris Agreement," said the High Commissioner.   She was addressing a webinar on "Climate Change" on Thursday initiated by the High Commission of Malaysia to explore ideas and views as well as sharing of best practices on climate change. Also read: Climate emergency demands policy shift to adaptation: Global leaders on COP26 Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Water, Malaysia (KASA) Dr Zaini Ujang and Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh, Md Mostafa Kamal were present as the chief guests. Haji Haris Haji Othman, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam; Aung Kyaw Moe, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; Pham Viet Chien, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam; Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand; Hidayat Atjeh, Chargé d' Affaires of the Republic of Indonesia; Leo Marco C Vidal, Chargé d' Affaires of the Republic of the Philippines; Sheela Pillai, Head of Mission of the Singapore Consulate; senior officials, diplomats and experts from Bangladesh and ASEAN Member States. The ADC was established in the year 2014 and is comprised of eight ASEAN Missions based in Dhaka. Also read: UK Foreign Secretary reaffirms support for Bangladesh’s climate actions They are the High Commission of Brunei Darussalam, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, High Commission of Malaysia, Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Embassy of Republic of the Philippines, Consulate of the Republic of Singapore, Embassy of the Royal Thai Embassy, and Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. The ADC chair is rotated every six months and is currently being chaired by Malaysia.

COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma arrives here on Wednesday morning to discuss shared priorities with Bangladesh which remains a "crucial" partner on the road to COP26. He will meet Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday and attend a joint briefing at 3pm, a senior official told UNB on Tuesday.  Read:BUILD Chairperson meets new FBCCI president Alok Sharma is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to discuss climate issues during his two-day visit.  His plan is to strengthen support for UK COP26 climate priorities ahead of hosting the crucial UN climate change summit in Glasgow this November. He will discuss the needs of countries most vulnerable to climate change, to ensure they are equipped to deal with its current and damaging effects ahead of COP26. Read:Bloomberg writer pours his heart out while praising Bangladesh’s progress Preventing deforestation whilst ensuring development and trade is sustainable will also be high on the agenda, as COP26 looks to highlight the protection of nature and biodiversity as a key tool in limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C. With less than six months to go before COP26, he will meet leaders from government, business and civil society to press his personal priority for a move to global clean power, critical to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will deliver her speech virtually at the "Leaders Summit on Climate" on Thursday highlighting the climate-related challenges Bangladesh faces and the efforts it is undertaking. Prime Minister Hasina, also President of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), will address the inaugural session of the Summit titled "Raising Our Climate Ambition" with other global leaders, an official told UNB. US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will open the inaugural session of the two-day Summit at 6pm (Bangladesh Time). This session will underscore the urgent need for the world’s major economies to strengthen their climate ambition by the time of COP 26 to keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach. It will provide an opportunity for leaders to announce new steps to strengthen climate ambition.    United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will also join. Also read: FM: Bangladesh’s points to be on agenda of Biden's Climate Summit Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Russian President Vladimir Puti, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are among participants invited by the US President. The second session will be on "Investing in Climate Solutions."

 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged governments, businesses and people everywhere to scale up efforts to conserve forests and forest species, and to support and listen to the voices of forest communities.

Bangladesh and the United Kingdom can form a partnership to cut greenhouse gas emissions and tackle different challenges posed by climate change.

Humans are making Earth a broken and increasingly unlivable planet through climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. So the world must make dramatic changes to society, economics and daily life, a new United Nations report says.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said global adaptation actions over climate change are still far from the pace of devastation just for lack of funds and political will.

Bangladesh has urged  countries to be more ambitious on mitigation, adaptation, climate finance and the issue of loss and damage. 

Voters in Hamburg, Germany's second-biggest city, go to the polls Sunday to pick a new regional assembly in an election that's been dominated by the issue of climate change.