Environment Minister urges to establish operational path for the loss and damage fund in COP29

The Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Saber Hossain Chowdhury urged all Parties to establish an operational path for the loss and damage fund to ensure timely disbursement of funds, reads a press release.

He also asked to take decisive actions, emphasizing the necessity to finalize the new climate finance goal, complete the Article 6 carbon market rules.

Environment Minister said this on 27 July while delivering a compelling speech at the closing session of the two-day Head of Delegation retreat program held in Shamakhi, Azerbaijan. Minister Chowdhury was invited by the COP29 Azerbaijan Presidency designate, Minister Mukhtar Babayev, to represent the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in his address.

Environment Minister said climate change is an existential challenge, not just a threat. The severe and widespread impacts already being felt across various LDCs. He stressed that these adverse effects are only the beginning of a much longer list of challenges.

Saber Chowdhury noted the world is not aligned with the 1.5-degree Celsius temperature goal. He also called for the alignment of the next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the 1.5-degree Celsius goal, stressing the importance of building trust among nations through clear support mechanisms for NDC implementation.

Looking ahead to the next COP 29 in Baku, he remarked, The next COP 29 in Baku will be a litmus test for the COP process, and there is no option of failing. Minister Chowdhury's speech resonated with the urgency and collaborative spirit needed to tackle climate change effectively.