DALIAN — Bangladesh on June 23 called on wealthy countries to increase and accelerate climate finance, saying the agreed global target of US$300 billion a year falls short of what vulnerable developing nations need to cope with escalating climate threats.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, on his first overseas trip since taking office, urged richer states to honour commitments ahead of the United Nations climate talks in November. Bangladesh, highly exposed to floods, cyclones, river erosion and saltwater intrusion, is pressing for more funding and quicker access to support for adaptation and mitigation projects.
Rahman called for stepped-up mobilisation of the Green Climate Fund and faster delivery from the Loss and Damage Fund, saying finance must be “accessible and predictable” for affected countries. He argued that US$300 billion by 2035, agreed at the 2024 UN summit, would not meet developing countries’ needs and that adaptation must be pursued alongside emissions reductions.
Outlining domestic resilience plans, Rahman highlighted initiatives such as dredging 20,000km of rivers and canals and planting 250 million trees to reduce flood risk. “Climate resilience cannot be built by any country alone,” he said, urging stronger global partnerships on finance, technology and action.