Govt expands climate action with new strategy, funding

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo has said the government is implementing a broad set of measures to shield Bangladesh from the growing impacts of climate change, outlining new strategies, funding mechanisms and ongoing projects during a session of the Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday.

Responding to a starred question originally submitted by independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana and raised in her absence by fellow independent MP Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal, Abdul Awal Mintoo told the House that a Locally Led Adaptation Framework (LLAF) had been formulated to ensure grassroots participation in climate adaptation and its effective implementation. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad presided over the session.

Abdul Awal Mintoo said the government had already prepared the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to strengthen climate resilience and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to drive mitigation efforts, adding that “these plans are being executed through relevant ministries, divisions, and agencies". Abdul Awal Mintoo also noted that the Department of Environment has begun developing Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) to guide the country towards sustainable, low-carbon growth.

To expand access to international climate finance and improve coordination with development partners, the government has established the Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP). “To enhance international climate financing, strengthen project development capacity, and promote coordination among national and international partners, the government has established the Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP),” Abdul Awal Mintoo said.

Highlighting carbon market initiatives, Abdul Awal Mintoo said a comprehensive framework has been developed under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to ensure transparent participation in global and voluntary carbon markets. “This is expected to attract foreign investment and boost climate financing through carbon credit trading,” Abdul Awal Mintoo added.

As part of immediate measures, the government has launched projects nationwide, including in Brahmanbaria district, under a 180-day short-term plan. These include forest restoration in government forest areas, mangrove afforestation in coastal char regions, and the plantation of 15 million saplings along roads, highways, embankments, rivers, canals, and other marginal lands.

Abdul Awal Mintoo said that priority is also being given to research, innovation, training, and extension activities to address climate change impacts, with necessary action plans currently in development.

He further said that the government had established the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (CCTF) from its own resources to implement the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP), 2009, which aimed at strengthening local capacity and promoting climate-resilient technologies. From the 2009–10 fiscal year to 2025–26, the government has allocated Tk 4,151.71 crore, approximately $495m, to the fund.

As of March 2026, the government has earmarked around Tk 4,383.95 crore for 985 projects, including 924 government and 61 non-government initiatives. Of these, 828 projects—771 government and 57 non-government—have already been completed, while 153 government projects remain under implementation, with all approved projects being carried out at district and upazila levels to strengthen resilience nationwide.

Responding to a supplementary question from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal, Abdul Awal Mintoo cautioned that climate change impacts cannot be addressed overnight. “The adverse impacts of climate change cannot be mitigated in a single day,” Abdul Awal Mintoo said, stressing that efforts would continue in a sustained and planned manner. Abdul Awal Mintoo added that climate change is a gradual process and requires long-term, continuous responses, noting: “As climate patterns evolve, the government will adopt new plans and strategies to reduce the negative consequences.”

He said the government’s adaptive and preventive measures are ongoing, aimed at minimising climate-related risks as the country continues to confront the challenges posed by a changing climate.