When we hear the words “conference” or “summit,” all we can think of are glittering stages with world leaders and organizational representatives in grand attendance. Long speeches and lengthy declarations are often made in these events. Yet the question remains: Do these declarations truly change lives?
As sea levels rise, vast regions are sinking; coastal families seek shelter after cyclones tear through fragile homes. Farmers struggle with saline water, excessive rainfall, or prolonged droughts. For these vulnerable people, climate change conferences symbolize not hope but the vast disparity between lofty promises and lived realities.
Every year, we hear pledges from developed nations: Reduce carbon emissions, increase funding for vulnerable countries, and provide easier access to climate finance. In 2009, rich nations promised to mobilize $100 billion annually, a pledge that is set to expire in 2025. At the most recent COP in Azerbaijan (2024), developed countries pledged to triple the figure to $300bn annually by 2035.
However, in reality, only a fraction actually arrives, often in the form of loans rather than genuine financial support. Sometimes, their speeches are filled with ambitious terms, such as “Just Transition,” “Carbon Markets,” or the much-discussed “Loss and Damage Fund.”
Yet these words often remain confined to paper.
One recurring topic of discussion at every conference is the 1.5°C limit on global temperature rise. At first glance, this may seem minor, but the reality is alarming. Scientists warned that an increase beyond 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900) would intensify disasters, droughts, sea-level rise, and food insecurity.
That future is no longer hypothetical; it is already unfolding.
The 2015 Paris Agreement committed nations to keep warming below this threshold through more substantial national pledges (NDCs) and climate finance. Many developed nations remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels and lack the political will to meet their commitments. Global temperatures in 2024 even temporarily exceeded the 1.5°C mark, partly due to El Niño, a natural phenomenon that exacerbates warming and extreme weather.
Bangladesh and the frontline
The message from Bangladesh and other vulnerable nations is unmistakable: They bear the brunt of climate change, yet are not responsible for causing it. For them, climate finance is not charity; it is a matter of global justice. The Loss and Damage Fund or Adaptation Fund must translate into tangible action. While mitigation, or reducing emissions, receives the lion’s share of funding, it benefits the technological and business interests of developed nations. For developing countries already on the frontline, adaptation is the most urgent need and building resilience so that natural events do not erase lives and livelihoods each year.
Bangladesh’s story proves that the climate crisis is not tomorrow’s threat but today’s reality. Cyclone Sidr in 2007 killed nearly 4,000 people; Cyclone Amphan in 2020 affected over 2.6 million. Each year, river erosion alone causes around one million people to become homeless. Southern regions are submerged by saline water, while northern farmlands are scorched by droughts or destroyed by floods. The country’s survival strategies, such as building cyclone shelters, promoting climate awareness, developing salt-tolerant crops, and strengthening early warning systems, require massive investment in technical knowledge and financial resources.
Bangladesh loses approximately $3bn annually due to extreme weather events. According to its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), the country requires $230bn by 2050 to build resilience, including $8.5bn every year for adaptation alone. The disaster management system itself demands around $30bn annually.
Yet securing international finance, even from institutions like the IMF, remains a steep challenge. Bangladesh established its own Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) in 2009, designed to support adaptation projects, renewable energy, and community resilience. However, allocations from national budgets and international contributions fall far short of actual needs.
Call for action
Bangladesh must push harder in global negotiations with a united and data-driven voice. Likewise, its national climate trust fund should strengthen transparency and efficiency. Moreover, investment in renewable energy and community-based adaptation should be expanded.
These demands are precisely why the annual COPs have evolved into a globally recognized platform for justice. To utilize the platform at its best, the greatest expectation of developing nations from COP30 is real finance. They are unequivocally stating that only grant-based funding, not loans, can deliver lasting solutions.
The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), announced at COP29, sets an ambitious target of $300bn annually. However, these figures are meaningless without action, without a clear roadmap and transparent mechanism. Bangladesh has already submitted its pledges through the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), committing to a 26.64% reduction in emissions from energy sources by 2035. NDC 3.0 also mentions financing as one of the significant factors while designing adaptation-based implementation.
According to the document, the projected annual adaptation investment requirement for Bangladesh is $12–14bn by 2035. This year’s COP30 in Belém, Brazil, must turn pledges into action. While adaptation is the priority, mitigation cannot be ignored. Developed nations must accelerate their transition to renewable energy and share technology with the Global South. For frontline nations, however, strengthening resilience at the local level in health, agriculture, water, and infrastructure remains a pressing priority. The Loss and Damage Fund must be operationalized without bureaucratic hurdles, ensuring timely and fair disbursement. Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable; every dollar must be accounted for, and civil society and local communities must be part of the decision-making process.
For Bangladesh and the Global South, COP30 is not merely a diplomatic exercise but a question of survival. If the developed world truly cares about justice, the time to deliver on financial pledges is now. Bangladesh and other vulnerable nations, on their part, must raise a united voice. Alone, each country may seem like a small entity, but together, their demands can resonate with undeniable strength.
Samiha Saleha is a Research Associate at the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD). Email: samiha.saleha@icccad.org.