Farida Akhter: Climate Finance Is a Matter of Survival, Not Negotiation
Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has said climate finance for Bangladesh is not just a matter of bargaining but a question of survival, justice and human dignity. "We are here to seek solutions that correspond to the depth of our suffering," she said while speaking as chief guest at a session titled "From Local to Global: Youth Inclusion in the Loss and Damage Framework" at the UN Climate Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, according to a PID handout today.
The Loss and Damage Working Group of YOUNGO, the children and youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), organized it at the Bangladesh Pavilion on Friday (Brazil time). The Adviser said Bangladesh is speaking today on behalf of the least developed countries - whose lives, homes and futures are being altered every day due to the climate crisis. "If affected communities are not placed at the centre, the entire framework will become meaningless," she added.
Farida said Bangladesh is now bringing young people to the forefront to tackle the increasing pressure of loss and damage caused by climate change. Presenting the keynote paper, Department of Environment Director Mirza Shawkat Ali said Bangladesh is preparing its own national loss and damage framework, which will progress in alignment with international agreements. Young people will be effectively engaged in this framework, he added. The panel discussion was moderated by Jasmima Sabatina, the working group's contact point.
The youth representatives demanded easier access to funds, real-time transparency tools, anticipatory financing, small grants, capacity building, permanent youth representation in fund management and development of an integrated data-driven platform. Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global Sohanur Rahman, Nepal's youth representative Prayash Adhikari, climate policy analyst Harjeet Singh, along with government and non-government officials, were present.
