Bangladesh's Climate Advocacy: Efforts of the Global South in Pursuit of Climate Justice

Bangladesh has emerged as the leading voice of climate change activism in recent years, particularly in
Global South. The country has shown resilience, determination, and an unapologetic stance in the pursuit
of climate justice by holding the developed world accountable for its part in accelerating climate change.
As a low-lying, densely populated country, Bangladesh finds itself on the frontline of climate change
impacts, grappling with rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and the displacement of vulnerable
communities. Despite contributing minimally to the carbon emissions responsible for these changes,
Bangladesh is at the forefront of advocating for climate action and justice on the global stage.

Bangladesh, often described as one of the most climate-vulnerable countries, has been dealing with the
severe consequences of climate change for decades. Geography and socio-economic conditions make it
uniquely susceptible to the impacts of global warming. Rising sea levels pose an existential threat to
coastal communities, and extreme weather events such as cyclones and floods disrupt livelihoods.
According to the World Bank’s Country and Climate Development Report, tropical cyclones cost
Bangladesh about $1 billion annually on average. The country could see as many as 13.3 million people
displaced by 2050 due to climate change, and its GDP could fall by as much as 9% in case of severe
flooding.

In the face of these challenges, Bangladesh has displayed an action-centered attitude in dealing with
climate change, as the World Bank calls it "the emerging hot spot" where climate threats and action meet.
Bangladesh was one of the first developing countries to establish a coordinated action plan in 2009. Till
now, its climate policy deck includes the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Act, the Delta Plan 2100, and
the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan.

The country has also set up a Climate Change Trust Fund, the first of its kind, allocating $300 million
from domestic resources between 2009 and 2012, and in 2014, the country adopted the Climate Fiscal
Framework to create climate-inclusive public financial management. Bangladesh also introduced a
National Sustainable Development Strategy to align economic development with climate priorities
further, and it put forward a target to generate 5% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by
2015 and 10% by 2020.

Its initiatives have resulted in impressive climate adaptation ventures, including the construction of the
world's largest multi-storied social housing project in Coxs Bazar, which will rehabilitate 4,400 families
displaced by climate change. In mitigation, Bangladesh has become one of the world leaders in Solar
House Systems, with 6 million households using solar photovoltaic systems.
Bangladesh has also been a member of essential bodies set up by the UNFCCC over the years, such as the
Adaptation Fund Board and the Green Climate Fund Board. It also plays a significant role in international
climate diplomacy, having organized and led the Least Developed Countries negotiating bloc in the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations since the bloc's
inception. During the pandemic, Bangladesh launched the South Asian regional office for the Global
Center on Adaptation (GCA) in Dhaka in September 2020. The GCA Bangladesh office will promote
indigenous nature-based sustainable solutions and innovative adaptation measures with the regional
countries.

Bangladesh is protecting its citizens and setting an example for other nations facing similar challenges.
The country has also emerged as a vocal proponent of climate justice, emphasizing the need for collective
global responsibility in addressing climate change.

The hallmark of Bangladesh's climate awareness and advocacy is that it has played a crucial role in
shaping the discourse around loss and damage at international climate negotiations. Dhaka has
consistently called for developed nations, historically responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions, to
take decisive actions in reducing their carbon footprints and providing financial and technological support
to developing countries. The country's advocacy has contributed to establishing the Warsaw International
Mechanism for Loss and Damage, signaling a step forward in recognizing and addressing the impacts
beyond adaptation.

Pursuing climate justice also includes Bangladesh’s proactive advocacy of raising awareness about the
disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable nations. In December 2022, Bangladesh even
became a party to the case by an international organization of small island states, known as the
Commission of Small Island States (COSIS), on states' obligations regarding climate change at ICJ.

In the latest Munich security conference, this issue of regional disparities in renewable energy investment
was discussed broadly. Till now, the funding discrimination in the global south is glaring-mostly
circulating in China and some high- and middle-income economies, with India and Indonesia gaining
recent attention due to the steep rise in emissions. But poorer nations in the south are still largely off the
radar.

The failure of advanced economies, the major contributors to climate change, to mobilize investments in
renewables for low-income countries is a critical discussion that must be kept alive for opportunities for
global green growth. Bangladesh should be a vocal party to this conversation, too, as its measures won’t
be adequate forever to deal with its climate urgencies soon, especially considering the pressure of
financing climate actions on its emerging economy. The country could require an estimated $26.5 billion
to meet its goal of generating 40% of electricity from renewables by 2041.

Bangladesh must be vigilant in securing climate finance and technology from the public and private
sectors at future COPs, or it risks losing decades of economic gains to climate change during the crucial
period of its development.

The burden of climate change disproportionately falls on those who have contributed the least to its
causes. Recognizing the challenges the Global South faces is crucial for fostering a fair and inclusive
response to the climate crisis. The COP28 Loss and Damage Fund has been the right direction to take in
this regard. The global community must acknowledge and support the efforts of nations like Bangladesh
to pursue climate justice. Climate justice is not a charity but a shared responsibility for a more equitable
and sustainable future for all.