Bangladesh canceled 10 coal-based power plants for climate’s sake

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said that Bangladesh has canceled 10 coal-based power plants involving 12 billion dollars of foreign investment, just to supplement its efforts against the adverse impacts of climate change.

She made the remarks while addressing the 26th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Sheikh Hasina said, “We’ve canceled 10 coal-based power plants worth 12 billion dollars of foreign investment.”

The Prime Minister said the government has recently submitted an ambitious and updated NDC to UNFCCC. “Bangladesh has one of the world’s most extensive domestic solar energy programs. We hope to have 40 percent of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2041.”

She said, “We’re going to implement the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan - a journey from climate vulnerability to resilience to climate prosperity.”

Hasina said Bangladesh is trying to address the challenge of climate impacts because of 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals or Rohingyas.

She said Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries, though it contributes less than 0.47 percent of global emissions.

Hasina mentioned that the government has established the ‘Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund’ in 2009 to address this challenge. “We’ve doubled climate-related expenses in the last seven years. Currently, we’re preparing the National Adaptation Plan.”

As the Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and V20, Bangladesh is promoting the interests of the 48 climate-vulnerable countries, she said.

We’re also sharing best practices and adaptation knowledge regionally through the South Asia Office of the Global Center of Adaptation’s Dhaka, she added.

On behalf of the CVF, Hasina said, Bangladesh is pursuing to establish a Climate Emergency Pact.

ARR