Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change of Bangladesh, said that issues like droughts, and land degradation demand immediate, collaborative action and shared investments in a unified vision of climate resilience.
Highlighting Bangladesh's vulnerability to climate change, she urged the global community to intensify climate actions for mitigation and adaptation.
Environment Advisor said this while delivering speech at the Ministerial Dialogue on Drought Resilience titled “From Geneva to Riyadh and Beyond: Enhancing Global and National Policy Instruments for a Proactive Drought Management Approach”. This session was part of the ongoing United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Sixteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
As a lower riparian country, Bangladesh emphasized the critical importance of protecting shared river basins and international waters under principles of equity, no harm, and cooperation. With UN projections warning of a 40 percent global water supply-demand gap by 2030, Rizwana Hasan called for the international legal recognition of the right to water and a collective commitment to safeguard this fundamental right.
She advocated for the precautionary principle in development, emphasizing the need for environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA), meaningful public engagement, and respect for community knowledge.
Addressing water-intensive industries and agricultural practices, she called for enforceable regulations to ensure sustainable resource management.
Recognizing the importance of community participation, Syeda Rizwana Hasan stressed institutionalizing the roles of farmers, forest dwellers, women, and indigenous communities in decision-making. She underlined the need to combine awareness with empowerment by providing communities with technology, financial support, and access to remedies.
In her closing remarks, Environment Advisor urged the UNCCD to strengthen its role in facilitating technology transfers to assist vulnerable nations. She called for strong political leadership and vision at global and national levels to turn these commitments into reality, emphasizing the pivotal role of forums like COP16 in achieving these goals.
Environment Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed was also present in the occasion.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
