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.

Japan is considering ending state support to build coal-fired power plants abroad in line with international efforts to curb global warming, government sources said Monday. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga could announce the move as early as an April 22-23 virtual summit on climate change hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, the sources said. Also read: Need to stop building coal power plants: UN chief Coal can be an attractive form of power generation for developing countries because of its low cost, but produces more carbon dioxide than natural gas or renewables such as solar and wind. Japan has been criticized for continuing to give state support to export coal-fired power plants in the form of loans from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. Last July, Japan tightened its criteria for backing such projects, only allowing them in countries that are making efforts to reduce carbon emissions and those that have no choice but to turn to coal due to financial reasons. Also read: German lawmakers for discontinuing coal use as energy source Ending state support altogether would be a step further and comes as the Biden administration's focus on tackling climate change builds international momentum for decarbonization. Suga has said going green will be a key driver of growth for Japan's economy. With the goal of making Japan carbon neutral by 2050, he has pledged to unveil an "ambitious" new target for reducing carbon emissions through 2030 ahead of the U.N. conference on climate change in November.