Govt allocates Tk 1 billion to fight climate change risks

The interim government has allocated Tk 1 billion in the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 to take necessary actions considering the depth and seriousness of climate change risks.

Finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed disclosed this while presenting the budget in a televised address to the nation today, Monday. The budget speech began at 3:00 pm.

He mentioned Bangladesh ranks among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. To combat the negative impacts of climate change, the Climate Change Trust Fund is undertaking activities such as prevention of air, water and soil pollution, waste management and environment development, mitigation of climate change, assessment of the impact of health protection, enhancing women's adaptation capacity, coastal ecosystem assessment, capacity building of media to achieve climate resilience, etc.

The fiance adviser said under the time-bound reform plan, initiatives have already been taken to introduce digital monitoring system of all approved projects of Bangladesh Climate Change Trust, which will be implemented by December 2025.

A Multisectoral Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management in Bangladesh has been formulated to reduce the production of plastic waste. In light of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2021, a notification has already been issued identifying 17 products as single-use plastics and initiatives have been taken to control the use of single-use plastic.

The National Award for Tree Plantation Policy (Amendment)-2025 and National Award Policy for Wildlife Conservation-2025 have been formulated.

The total forest area in the country is only 15.58 per cent. To increase the amount of forest in the country, 1,303 acres of forest land has been reclaimed, and afforestation has been done and as part of the forest restoration, the allocation of 720 acres of land of various agencies has been cancelled.