Bangladesh, France unite for climate action; calls for swift implementation of Paris Pact

In a strong display of their commitment to combat the climate emergency, Bangladesh and France have jointly called for the swift implementation of the Paris Pact for People and the Planet.

This call for action comes as both nations believe in the necessity of strong bilateral and international cooperation in the face of the climate emergency, according to a joint statement issued on Monday (11 September).

Building on the recommendations of the Paris Summit for a New Global Finance Pact, which Bangladesh has endorsed, the two nations have agreed that it is crucial to mobilise additional financing from all sources to support development, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.

Both countries have urged accelerated efforts to facilitate access to climate finance for developing countries, recognising the urgent need to support vulnerable nations in addressing the impact of climate change.

They also reiterated their support for the operationalisation of the new funding arrangements, including a fund for assisting vulnerable developing countries suffering from the effects of climate change and the resulting losses and damage.

"France will continue to support vulnerable countries in facing extreme events and responding to loss and damage, including through the V20-G7 Global Shield against Climate Risks of which Bangladesh is a priority country, and through the further implementation of climate resilient debt clauses," reads the statement.

France has reasserted its desire to support the aspirations of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, in particular by promoting the notion of vulnerability, and fine-tuning it towards resilience and prosperity in all relevant fora, including multilateral development banks.

The two countries also pledged to work together to ensure a result-oriented COP28 in Dubai this year as they aim to accelerate the transition to a climate-resilient world, emphasising investments in renewable and clean energy.

Their joint statement  acknowledged the necessity of accelerating the global energy transition away from fossil fuels, setting and meeting ambitious targets for renewable energy production and energy efficiency, while also ensuring that this global transition is just and equitable.

In line with this commitment, France stressed its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, while Bangladesh underscored the need for a sustained collaborative approach to support its energy transition efforts through access to affordable financing and technologies.

During the recent high level meeting, Bangladesh and France expressed concern over the impact of climate change and supply chain disruptions on global food sovereignty, security, and nutrition.

They have committed to strengthening cooperation in sustainable and resilient food and agriculture systems to support food security, with regular dialogues and Bangladesh's participation in the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) initiative led by France.