Urgent adaptation finance needed as climate threats to Bangladeshi women grow: Experts at COP30

Experts at a high-level discussion at COP30 have warned that climate change is sharply increasing reproductive health risks for women in Bangladesh—yet national adaptation strategies and financing frameworks are failing to respond to the growing crisis.

The discussion, held yesterday (18 November) at the Bangladesh Pavilion and organised by the Centre for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD) with Bread for the World and HEKS/EPER, brought together policymakers, health and climate specialists, CSOs, Party delegates, development partners, and researchers.

Speakers stressed the need to integrate women's climate-induced health vulnerabilities—including menstrual disorders, pregnancy complications, infections, and food and water insecurity—into Bangladesh's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and climate finance mechanisms.

In his keynote address, Sheikh Nur Ataya Rabbi, assistant research and advocacy manager at CPRD, said women in high-salinity areas are 2.3 times more likely to develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), while climate stress is strongly linked to miscarriages and preterm births.

Despite these trends, he said, national climate policies still lack adequate focus on women's health burdens.

Dr Jeni Miller, executive director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, said the launch of the Global Health Adaptation Plan is undoubtedly a milestone and particularly vital for the funding process.

"However, it will be successful only if countries tailor their adaptation plans to their local circumstances and wealthy countries mobilise finance to translate the plans into action."

Environmental economist Dr Shouro Dasgupta highlighted the economic toll of climate shocks, noting that Bangladesh lost 29 billion potential working hours—around 5% of GDP—in 2024 due to heatwaves, while two million more people became food insecure in 2023.

He urged the country to develop a data system aligned with Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) indicators to guide decision-making.

Chief Guest AKM Sohel, additional secretary at the Economic Relations Division, said the development of a separate Health National Adaptation Plan had weakened the health focus within broader adaptation efforts.

"We need measurable, predictable, and gender-responsive adaptation finance, in the form of grants. Bangladesh paid $1.5 billion last year for debt servicing. Loan for adaptation is making us more vulnerable."

"We need to enhance our domestic adaptation finance space for health. But we need our global partners to develop the primary investment culture in adaptation," he added.

Speakers further stressed aligning Bangladesh's NAP with GGA health indicators, alongside urgent delivery of financial and technical support.

The session was moderated by Farah Anzum, Country Lead at GSCC.