Fulfill promises on climate finance: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged developed countries to come forward with their promised mitigation measures along with climate finance to combat global warming.

The premier made the plea in a pre-recorded video message played at The Climate Ambition Summit, marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement. It was held online on Saturday, chaired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

This year's summit came as the United Nations warned that the current commitments to tackle rises in global temperatures are inadequate.

Sheikh Hasina reiterated this, saying the fifth anniversary of the historic Paris Agreement is being observed at a time when humanity is nowhere near the goals set under the agreement.

"The reality is the climate change is neither going to take a break nor spare us from its adverse impact," she said.

The Paris Agreement is a legally-binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP21 in Paris, on December 12, 2015 and came into force on November 4, 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.

Sheikh Hasina also said Bangladesh has emerged as a global leader in climate adaptation measures, despite many constraints. However, she said, "In this regard, I would like to remind everyone that there is a limit to adaptation."

Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh, as the President of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, launched the CVF "Midnight Survival Deadline for the Climate" initiative, urging every country to declare enhanced nationally determined contributions (NDC) by midnight of 31st December, 2020.

She also detailed Bangladesh's strategy for the NDC, which includes planting 11.5 million saplings; improving the existing energy, industry, and transport sectors; finalising the National Adaptation Plan; and spending $2 billion every year for climate change-sensitive projects and $3 billion for adaptation measures.