BD-Denmark joint action plan for green future launched

Bangladesh and Denmark launched a joint action plan on Tuesday, which focused on achieving a more sustainable and green future on a global scale.
The agreement underscores climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental damage and biodiversity loss, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement.
The action plan was jointly launched at the Secretariat by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin and Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan Jørgensen.
Shahab Uddin said that the action plan was signed on June 9, 2023, during a high-level meeting between Bangladesh and Denmark in Copenhagen. The plan will enable Denmark to provide further support for Bangladesh's transition to a low-carbon pathway, resource efficiency and the transformation to a circular economy.
According to the minister, areas of collaboration between Bangladesh and Denmark will encompass sustainable energy, energy efficiency and the green transition of value chains, including food and agriculture.
The joint action plan also aims to promote sustainable infrastructure, particularly maritime infrastructure and facilitate greener industrial transformation. It further emphasises the integration of water, environmental considerations and cleaner technologies, all in support of sustainable and just development.
Minister Shahab Uddin highlighted that the action plan will undergo periodic reviews as needed.
He expressed the desire to work together with Denmark to mobilise the pledged US$ 100 billion from developed countries, ensuring a balanced allocation of funds between adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Besides, he called for the early operationalisation of the Loss and Damage fund.
The minister also mentioned the possibility of Denmark providing financial and technical assistance to Bangladesh for the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan, Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
"We also look forward to pragmatic discussions and steps at the Global Stocktake to take place at COP-28 this year. We call upon the developed economies to speed up to their commitments on climate financing under the Paris Agreement," the minister added.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Chairman of the Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Bangladesh Parliament and Special Envoy to the Prime Minister for Climate Change, and Winnie Estrup Petersen, Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh, were also present at the occasion.

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