Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has urged the South Asian region to act collectively to confront shared crises such as air and plastic pollution, water insecurity, and escalating climate disasters.
"Environmental protection and development are not alternatives. Sustainability must be at the heart of our future," she said, urging regional cooperation on river governance, equitable water-sharing, and plastic waste management.
Environment Adviser was speaking as Guest of Honour at the Opening Plenary titled "Sustainable Development in the Emerging World Dis|Order" at the South Asia must unite for climate resilience and shared prosperity (SDPI)'s annual conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to a release.
Rizwana warned that South Asia is already facing both sudden and slow-onset climate impacts - from historic floods and heat waves to salinity, soil degradation and declining agricultural productivity. Bangladesh alone needs USD 230 billion to implement its National Adaptation Plan, she noted, highlighting a serious gap in global climate finance.
"If the funds don't come, we cannot wait. We must act nationally and regionally," she asserted.
She has called on South Asian nations to rebuild trust, strengthen regional connectivity, and pursue joint action as global disorder becomes the new reality.
