The two-day event, titled ‘Türkiye’s Road to COP31: Resilient Cities,’ concluded on Friday in Hatay, Türkiye

NEWS DESK:

Bangladesh has called for stronger global climate financing, technology transfer and international cooperation to help vulnerable countries build climate-resilient cities and infrastructure, at a high-level international forum in Türkiye ahead of the COP31 climate summit.

The two-day event, titled “Türkiye’s Road to COP31: Resilient Cities,” concluded on Friday in Hatay, Türkiye, bringing together environment ministers, policymakers and international development partners from several countries ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled to be held in Antalya in November.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo represented Bangladesh at the forum, hosted at the Museum Hotel in Hatay on May 8–9.

Opening the event, Türkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum welcomed delegates and stressed the need for disaster-resilient and sustainable urban development to address the growing impacts of climate change.

During a bilateral meeting with Mintoo, Kurum sought Bangladesh’s views and recommendations for the upcoming COP31 summit and the proposed “Hatay Declaration,” describing Bangladesh as a “friendly and brotherly nation.” He also invited Bangladesh to actively participate in COP31 and said Türkiye was keen to deepen cooperation with Bangladesh on environmental protection and climate resilience initiatives.

In response, Mintoo thanked the Turkish government for the invitation and noted that a large Bangladeshi community currently resides in Türkiye, while Bangladeshis regard the Turkish people as close friends.

Mintoo said Bangladesh contributes only 0.35% of global carbon emissions but remains among the most climate-vulnerable countries.

“Deforestation, rapid urbanization and sea-level rise are increasingly threatening both the environment and people’s livelihoods,” he said.

He added that despite long-standing climate challenges, Bangladesh has not received adequate international financial support in proportion to its vulnerability.

The adviser said Bangladesh plans to present a special agenda at COP31 seeking greater climate financing and stronger support mechanisms for high-risk countries. He also announced that Bangladesh would appoint focal persons ahead of the summit to strengthen international engagement and effectively communicate the country’s climate priorities and funding needs.

Speaking at a panel discussion alongside Gambian Minister Rohey John Manjang, Syrian Minister Mohammed Anjrani, World Bank Country Director in Türkiye Humberto López and Iller Bank General Manager Eyyüp Karahan, Mintoo stressed the urgent need for financing climate-resilient urban systems and infrastructure.

He said developing and least-developed countries contribute comparatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions but continue to bear the brunt of climate impacts.

“Effective climate financing mechanisms and rapid disbursement of funds are critical for vulnerable countries like Bangladesh,” he said.

Mintoo added that, alongside financing, technical support for resilient infrastructure construction, technology adoption and capacity building would also be essential for sustainable adaptation efforts.

On the sidelines of the forum, Bangladesh and the Maldives held a bilateral meeting aimed at strengthening cooperation on climate change, environment and energy.

Maldives Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Energy Ali Shareef sought Bangladesh’s support for an initiative to plant five million trees in the island nation, particularly in seedling production and technical expertise.

Mintoo said Bangladesh has adopted a plan to plant 250 million trees over the next five years in line with government priorities and invited the Maldivian minister to visit Bangladesh to observe nursery management, seedling production and afforestation activities.

On the final day of the event, Kosovo’s Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Fitore Pacolli met Mintoo and sought Bangladesh’s support for Kosovo’s inclusion in COP-related processes.

Bangladesh assured cooperation on the matter. Both sides also discussed the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on environmental and climate collaboration during COP31.

Kosovo is not a member of the United Nations, and Bangladesh was among the first countries to recognise Kosovo following its declaration of independence.

The event concluded with a high-level ministerial roundtable and the adoption of the Hatay Declaration, with participating countries emphasizing stronger international cooperation, disaster-resilient urban planning and environmentally sustainable infrastructure development to address growing climate risks worldwide.