Climate Change: Adaptation Action to Be Accelerated in South Asia

The Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) South Asian Regional Center in Dhaka will play a role in scaling up and accelerating adaptation efforts in the region, as South Asia is the most vulnerable to climate change.

"If you want to scale up and accelerate adaptation action, it's extremely important that we learn what’s working and what is not working," said Patrick V Verkooijen, the CEO of Global Centre on Adaptation (CGA), reports UNB.

He said a lot of adaptation measures are already taking place in the whole region , particularly in Bangladesh.

Patrick said their strong emphasis would be on replication through success stories of best practices of action in the field.

"We’ll be sharing our expertise and experiences through GCA. I hope when we’ll show those successful examples, other partners will come forward," Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told UNB.

Asked whether Bangladesh sees any genuine commitment from the international community on the climate front and help address challenges in the region, he said, "Of course, I see but it's limited."

Dr Momen said the GCA Centre in Dhaka itself is a support and there are commitments that many other countries will come forward. "Bangladesh has done an excellent job alone."

The countries in South Asia are among the most vulnerable globally to the consequences of climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2019. 

Bangladesh was the first country in the world to create a National Adaptation Programme of Action and is the current Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum and Vulnerable Group of Twenty (V20) Ministers of Finance.

Seeking help from all, including the media, the Foreign Minister said they have to carry out a campaign to that end.

"We’ve one planet. We’ve to save it. We, therefore, have to work together," said the Foreign Minister adding that their partners have been helping them in a variety of ways, the UK, for example.

However, Dr Momen noted that if they speak about the way other partners can come forward, it is still short of expectations. "It's not just our problem. It's a global issue. And it has to be tackled internationally. It has to come forward in all countries. There's no alternative," the Foreign Minister said.

Patrick said they are very keen to work with governments, partners and development partners in the region to really align with their efforts. "Together, it’s indicative, much stronger and much more impactful."

With regard to global engagement and funding, he said that, like the Dutch government, there is funding, but much more is needed from the international community as a whole to support and help tackle the very urgent challenges of the coming years.

The recently opened Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) South Asian Regional Center in Dhaka has been described by Bangladesh as a landmark for international partnerships.

Bangladesh says it is able to share its experiences in adaptation and disaster management and best practices. The 82 year-long "Delta Plan 2100" has already been conceived by the government, which is a living test case for all the world's deltas.

Almost half a million people perished during a devastating cyclone in 1970.

"But due to our cyclone and Disaster Preparedness progress in 2009, although we faced similar devastating cyclone and tidal waves, only 190 people died," said the Foreign Minister.

Bangladesh hopes to receive necessary support from the international development partners in its efforts as it is very easy to achieve and demonstrate climate resilience successes in this region.

On September 8, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina virtually launched the Global Centre on Adaptation’s new regional office in Dhaka, GCA Bangladesh, with Ban Ki-moon, Chair of the Global Centre on Adaptation and 8th Secretary General of the United Nations and Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte.

With funding from South Asian governments, city mayors, business leaders, investors , communities and civil society, the regional office will work to promote and scale up effective adaptation strategies to resolve climate emergencies.

Ban Ki-moon Bangladesh is a striking example of how vulnerable communities can be the most innovative in adapting to climate change. "Through GCA Bangladesh the valuable lessons it has learnt will help the rest of the world adapt to our new climate reality," he said.

Hasina to lead global leaders at CVF Event

In the meantime, on Wednesday evening, Bangladesh will host the virtual Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Leaders' Event with the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the event as the new President of the CVF.

The event will be attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President of GCA Ban Ki-moon, Heads of State and Government of the CVF nations , the United Kingdom and Italy (host and co-host of COP26), the Netherlands, the CVF Thematic Ambassadors and other foreign partners.

The Foreign Minister and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister will also join it.