Bangladesh is now considered a living laboratory of locally led climate adaptation

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "Bangladesh is now considered a living laboratory of locally led climate adaptation".

But this remarkable achievement did not appear overnight rather it took a well thought out meticulous planning in combination with prudent leadership bold enough to carry out projects in self funding.

She was speaking at the panel discussion titled "From Pocket to Planet: Scaling Up Climate Finance" at the Munich Security Conference 2024 here in Germany.

In her speech, PM reveals how she took on the battle to mitigate the ever rising menace of climate change in her country.

In 2009, she attended the COP 50 summit and realised shortage in global financing in the fight to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change.

“International climate finance would be difficult to come by” she told.

“My first realisation about resource constraint for climate action at COP 50 in 2009” she added.

Upon return to Bangladesh, she laid focus on homegrown solutions.

“After going back home, I set up Bangladesh Climate Trust Fund to undertake homegrown adaptation process.”

She took up a courageous move that led the youngest nation in South Asia to become a model for the development.

“We have implemented 800 projects so far at a cost of 480 million, all from our own resources” she added.

“But still inadequate if you compare to 7 to 8 billion that we require every year to implement national adaptation plan”,

The current financing need for mitigation as per all the nationally determined contribution NDC estimated around at USD 6 trillion up to 2030, she reminded.