Key facts
- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called for grant-based climate financing instead of additional loans for climate-vulnerable countries.
- Rahman proposed allocating at least 50 percent of international climate finance to adaptation efforts.
- Rahman called for debt relief through climate-resilient debt clauses and debt-for-climate swaps.
- Rahman said Bangladesh accounts for less than 0.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Rahman said the government targets 20 percent of electricity demand from renewables by 2030.
- Rahman announced plans to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called for grant-based climate financing instead of additional loans for countries most vulnerable to climate change, warning that rising debt burdens are making it harder for them to cope with climate-related losses and damage. He spoke at the High-Level Segment of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference, COP31, in Antalya, Turkey, on November 13, 2026, according to The Daily Star.
"Climate-related losses and damages are placing a heavy burden on our economy. At the same time, rising debt repayments and limited financial resources are making the situation even more difficult. Climate-vulnerable countries need grants, not more loans that add to their debt burden," Rahman said.
Rahman outlined five proposals. He called for allocating at least 50 percent of international climate finance to adaptation efforts, based on individual countries' priorities, while continuing to support measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He also called for urgent debt relief through mechanisms such as climate-resilient debt clauses and debt-for-climate swaps, which provide debt relief in exchange for climate protection efforts.
His third proposal called for equitable access to environmentally friendly climate technologies and support for technology transfer to developing countries. A fourth called for accelerating the transition to renewable energy through affordable financing, skills development and a fair energy transition. Under the fifth, he urged COP31 to adopt the Belem-Antalya Action Mechanism to support a fair energy transition, with fair financing and fair trade as core principles.