Climate youth group submits NDC 3.0 inputs to govt

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Friday (19 September) received the 'NDC 3.0 for COP30: Stakeholder Recommendations' from Youth for NDCs, ahead of the Bangladesh government's official submission of its NDC 3.0 to the UNFCCC.

She was accompanied by representatives of the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, German Embassy in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), reads a press release.

The NDC 3.0 for COP30 is a dialogue series led by Youth for NDCs in collaboration with Bangladesh University of Science and Technology (Buet), Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) and Khulna University (KU), with support from the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, German Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and MoEFCC that focused in 4 different stakeholder sessions on providing actionable recommendations in the sectors of Energy, Agriculture Forestry and Urbanization for Bangladesh's third round of NDC.

The outcome document titled 'NDC 3.0 for COP30- Stakeholder Recommendations' presents a set of 14 recommendations by the participating sector experts, youth, academia and other relevant stakeholders.

The younger generation can feel climate urgency more strongly than others, said the environment adviser.

In his speech at the Khulna University on 11 September, EU Ambassador, Michael Miller said they believe that the youth must be at the heart of climate action, reports UNB.

"Bangladesh's NDC3.0 should, therefore, be a vision for your future. Climate change affects you the most, and your voices must shape the solutions. Whether it is advocating for energy efficiency and renewable energy, designing flood-resilient communities, or pushing for sustainable policies, your input can drive real change," he said.

Swedish Ambassador Nicolas Weeks stressed the importance of implementing the NDC going forward, paving the way for deeper cooperation between Bangladesh and countries like Sweden.

"The science stresses urgency in reducing global emissions to keep 1.5 C alive. The NDC will drive national climate action, attract investments in clean technologies, provide the momentum for green skills, jobs and enterprises, and facilitate coordination across key sectors such as energy, agriculture and transportation."

The General Secretary of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), Shaikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan said, "Integrated spatial and urban planning is not optional-it is the foundation of NDC 3.0 and the promise we bring to COP30 for Bangladesh. Efficient land use and infrastructure planning is the precondition in achieving the NDC3.0 targets across all sectors - energy, agriculture, forestry, transportation, wastes, buildings etc."

While handing over the document, Amanullah Porag, the founder of Youth for NDCs said, "This document is the collective way forward of the young people of Bangladesh who want to contribute meaningfully to the country's commitments. It does not only show our recommendations, but also our willingness to be a part of Bangladesh's climate development."

The three dialogues and one national roundtable organized under the "NDC 3.0 for COP30" Dialogue Series engaged over 1,000 participants, including government representatives, development partners, academia, civil society, and youth in shaping the recommendations.

This process demonstrates the potential of inclusive and participatory approaches in strengthening Bangladesh's climate policy at a crucial moment, as the country prepares for COP30 in Belém, Brazil.