'Climate Promise - From Pledge to Impact' project launched
In a significant stride towards enhancing climate action and global efforts to combat climate change, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched 'Climate Promise - From Pledge to Impact' project at a hotel in Dhaka on Sunday, reports BSS.
The project is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany, a UNDP press release said.
The project was launched at a workshop. The primary objective of the workshop was to introduce key stakeholders to the Climate Promise project and garner their valuable insights and inputs.
The workshop aimed to prepare a pragmatic work plan for the effective implementation of the project and contribute to the formulation of vital strategic documents that will set ambitious targets for climate action in Bangladesh.
The workshop featured a comprehensive overview of the Climate Promise project, outlining its critical interventions and expected outcomes.
Stakeholders from various sectors had the opportunity to provide comments, suggestions, and recommendations to strengthen the efficiency of project implementation.
Farhina Ahmed, secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, joined the event as the chief guest. Special guests included Florian H’llen, head of development cooperation at the German embassy in Dhaka, and Stefan Liller, resident representative of UNDP with Abdul Hamid, director general of the Department of Environment (DoE), in the chair.
Speaking at the workshop, Farhina Ahmed said, "The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change is mandated for ensuring environmental and climate sustainability, conservation of forest and biodiversity, and of climate change impact management for citizens. I believe that the Climate Promise: From Pledge to Impact project will strengthen the ministry's efforts to implement NDC by commissioning research and diagnostics for exploring strategies of adopting a gender-sensitive circular economy and achieving NDC targets and Net Zero emissions."
Prasenjit Chakma, assistant resident representative, UNDP Bangladesh, also spoke, among others.
The workshop also facilitated technical group discussions involving stakeholders, where valuable insights were consolidated on critical topics such as adopting circular economy practices, strategies for achieving net-zero emissions, climate financing, and investment plans from a Bangladeshi perspective.
These discussions aimed to foster collaborative thinking and develop actionable strategies that align with Bangladesh's commitment to mitigating climate change and transitioning toward sustainable development.
The Climate Promise-From Pledge to Impact project, launched as part of the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit in 2019, aligns with Bangladesh's continued efforts to actively contribute to global collective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
With the project's implementation initiated in April 2023, the collaboration between MoEFCC and UNDP holds the promise of fostering significant positive change and reinforcing Bangladesh's commitment to achieving its ambitious targets.