Staff Correspondent, Dhaka:
Bangladesh used an international climate conference in Turkey to reinforce its long-standing call for stronger global cooperation and fair climate financing for vulnerable nations ahead of the United Nations Climate Conference (COP31). The discussions highlighted Dhaka’s growing effort to position itself not only as a climate-vulnerable country but also as an active participant in shaping global climate policy.
At the “Turkey’s Road to COP31: Resilient Cities” conference in Antalya, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo emphasized that countries contributing minimally to global emissions continue to face some of the harshest impacts of climate change. Bangladesh, which contributes only a small share of global carbon emissions, remains highly exposed to rising sea levels, extreme weather events, unplanned urbanization, and environmental degradation.
The conference reflected increasing international attention on climate-resilient urban systems as cities worldwide face growing climate risks. Bangladesh’s participation also demonstrated its intention to strengthen diplomatic engagement ahead of COP31 by building partnerships with countries facing similar vulnerabilities.
Mintoo’s remarks highlighted a broader concern shared by many developing nations — that global climate financing commitments have not matched the scale of adaptation and resilience needs. Bangladesh’s focus on fair and timely financial support indicates that climate diplomacy will remain a major foreign policy priority in upcoming international negotiations.
The discussions also pointed to Bangladesh’s effort to move beyond financial demands alone by emphasizing technology transfer, technical cooperation, and institutional capacity building. This reflects a more comprehensive approach toward climate resilience, particularly in urban infrastructure and environmental management.
Bangladesh’s bilateral engagements with Turkey and the Maldives on the sidelines of the conference further underscored the importance of regional and international partnerships in addressing climate challenges. The adoption of the “Hatay Declaration” signaled broad support among participating countries for stronger cooperation on resilient development and climate risk mitigation.
Overall, the conference provided Bangladesh with an opportunity to strengthen its international climate profile while preparing its priorities and negotiation strategy ahead of COP31.
