BANGKOK, July 2, 2026 (PR) - Bangladesh has called for stronger regional cooperation and increased blue carbon financing to protect vulnerable coastal communities, strengthen climate resilience and support sustainable economic growth in delta regions.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo made the call while addressing the international session titled “Accelerating Integrated Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific: Regional Cooperation for Blue Carbon Finance,” jointly organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Landscape Alliance at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok on Thursday.
In his keynote address, the minister urged the international community to recognise blue carbon ecosystems as vital climate, community and development assets, stressing that mangrove forests and coastal wetlands are critical national infrastructure for climate resilience in Bangladesh.
Citing World Bank estimates, Mintoo said cyclones cause Bangladesh an average annual economic loss of around US$1 billion, while climate change could force 13.3 million people to become internally displaced by 2050. He said protecting coastal ecosystems is therefore essential for safeguarding livelihoods and strengthening the country’s delta economy.
The minister said the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has prioritised climate action and aims to plant 250 million trees nationwide over the next five years as part of its environmental and climate resilience agenda.
Highlighting the shared environmental challenges facing countries around the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, he said Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Indonesia are all vulnerable to cyclones, sea-level rise and coastal erosion. He called for enhanced regional collaboration in blue carbon mapping, harmonised carbon accounting systems and the development of regional carbon markets, with ESCAP playing a coordinating role.
The session was attended by Pakistan’s Environment Minister Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, Maldives’ Environment Minister Ali Shareef, ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, as well as environment ministers and senior representatives from several countries and international organisations.
