Govt must lead country’s shift to renewable energy: Rizwana

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has called on all government agencies to fully transition to renewable energy within the next two to three years, stressing that the public sector must lead by example in the fight against climate change.

Speaking as the Chief Guest at the opening plenary of international conference titled “Road to COP30: How Can National Interests Be Aligned with Global Climate Goals?” held at BRAC Centre Inn in Dhaka, Rizwana emphasized that climate mitigation is not only about reducing emissions but also about changing how resources are consumed. 

“Mitigation isn’t only about how much we produce; it’s also about how responsibly we consume,” she said, urging the adoption of sustainable practices across all sectors of the economy.

The conference, organized under the theme “A World Beyond Crisis: Climate Solutions That Work,” brought together national and international experts, policymakers and development partners to explore strategies for aligning Bangladesh’s climate policies with global commitments ahead of the COP30 summit.

Rizwana, who also advises the Ministry of Water Resources, pointed to recent progress in environmental governance. 

She highlighted that Department of Environment (DoE), with support from World Bank, is constructing green office complexes across the country. These will serve as prototypes for eco-friendly building models, developed in collaboration with architects and engineers, to promote energy efficiency and sustainability in public infrastructure.

However, she warned that global shortcomings in climate finance; including double counting and poor governance, are eroding trust and slowing down meaningful adaptation efforts. 

“If emissions from major economies continue to rise, technology transfer alone will not solve the problem,” she noted. 

In this context, she stressed the importance of Bangladesh staying proactive to protect its national interests, economic stability and vulnerable communities.

Referring to the government’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Rizwana said it reflects broad-based participation and national ownership. 

She directed DoE to prepare a detailed work plan featuring sector-specific emission reduction strategies in key areas such as transport, agriculture and industry. These strategies must be backed by measurable actions and clear timelines.

She also spoke about the newly formed Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP), under which four working groups have already been established. 

Rizwana instructed that civil society organizations and academic institutions be included in these groups to offer technical and policy support, ensuring an inclusive and evidence-based approach to climate governance.

Addressing environmental damage caused by conventional brick kilns, she called for an urgent shift to alternative building materials that reduce carbon emissions, protect arable land and prevent destructive hill cutting. 

As a sustainable alternative, she proposed the use of dredged river sediment in brick production instead of fertile topsoil.

On climate adaptation, she underscored the importance of coastal afforestation, rainwater harvesting, and affordable desalination technologies to strengthen resilience in the country’s climate-vulnerable coastal zones. 

She called on international development partners to provide both financial resources and technological assistance to help Bangladesh implement homegrown, locally appropriate climate solutions.

The session featured remarks from several distinguished speakers, including Dr. Ainun Nishat, Adviser at Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER), BRAC University; Dr. Shah Abdul Saadi, Deputy Secretary of Economic Relations Division; Md. Ziaul Haque, Director at Department of Environment; Ulrich Kleppmann, Head of Development Cooperation at German Embassy in Dhaka; Mohammed Sohel, Director of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA); Shirin Sultana Lira, Programme Manager at Embassy of Switzerland and Mousumi Perven, Senior Climate Change Officer at Asian Development Bank.

The event was presided over by Khushi Kabir, a member of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Board of Trustees.

SH