Development partners should stand on single platform: Minister

Development partners should stand on single platform: Minister

Dhaka, Mar 28 - All development partners should come to a single platform aiming to prevent resource fragmentation, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said on Thursday.

“To maximise resource utilisation, duplication and overlapping should be minimised. With numerous challenges and existential threats posed by climate change, securing resources, both financial and for capacity building, is essential,” the minister was speaking at a workshop titled ‘the Country Environmental Analysis for Bangladesh: Building Back a Greener Bangladesh’ held at a hotel in Dhaka.

Speaking as chief guest, Saber Hossain said the nation's health is paramount, and the government is committed to enhancing air and water quality.

Priority interventions for climate action are being sequenced and the government is actively formulating a time-bound plan, he said, adding that policy adjustments will be made as necessary to address the emerging needs.

Mentioning his ministry’s 100-day working programme, the environment minister said the government has set a target to reduce the use of single-use plastic by 90 percent by 2026.

About the climate financing, he said around 40 percent of fund that Bangladesh is receiving from global agencies to deal with climate change impacts is loan, which is not expectable at all. 

The Minister stressed the need for applying sustainable practices and taking effective initiatives aimed at fostering a greener future for Bangladesh.

Abdoulaye Seck, the World Bank's Country Director for Bhutan and Bangladesh, and Dr Fahmida Khanam, Additional Secretary (Environment) of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, also spoke among others.

The event brought together the stakeholders from various sectors to discuss strategies for environmental preservation and sustainable development.

The workshop featured presentations and discussions on key findings from the Country Environmental Analysis report-23, focusing on challenges and opportunities in advancing environmental conservation efforts.

Participants engaged in productive dialogue, exchanging ideas to address pressing environmental issues and promote eco-friendly practices across the country.-UNB