NSTU students call for fair climate finance at COP30
As the UN Climate Conference (COP30) continues, students of Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) staged a vibrant campus campaign on Monday, calling for fair and transparent climate finance for Bangladesh.
The event, titled "Youth Call for Fair & Sustainable Finance," brought together hundreds of students carrying placards with messages such as "No more delay in adaptation funds."
The campaign was jointly organised by PRAN, Fair Finance Bangladesh Coalition, Oxfam in Bangladesh, and the Coastal Environment Network (COEN). A quick on-spot survey among participants revealed unanimous concern that climate finance is not reaching the communities most at risk.
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Bangladesh—among the world's most climate-vulnerable countries—requires around USD 12.5 billion annually for adaptation but receives less than 11% of that amount. As a result, coastal and marginalised communities continue to bear the greatest burden of climate impacts.
Domestically, progress on sustainable finance remains slow. Although Bangladesh Bank mandates that banks allocate 15% of total loans to sustainable finance, most institutions have yet to meet this target.
Murad Hossain Razu, President of COEN, said, "Those who contributed least to the climate crisis are suffering most. Fair climate finance must be ensured at COP30."
Umme Salma Poppy, Programme Coordinator of PRAN, added, "Bangladesh did not create this crisis; shifting the financial burden onto its people is unjust."
The event also featured a street drama, creative displays, and student-led performances, underscoring the urgent need for equitable climate finance and climate-resilient development.
