Bangladesh will demand a grant from the Green Climate Fund instead of a soft loan in the Paris Climate Change Conference 2015, Environment and Forest Minister Anwar Hossain Manju said yesterday.
“Bangladesh generally receives a soft loan from the climate fund to cope up with the impacts of climate change here. But now we will demand a grant from the fund,” he told reporters at a press conference at
his ministry.
The 21st session of the Conference of Parties – COP21 – will start on November 30 and continue until December 11 in Paris, France.
Usually, the heads of governments attend the COP but this year Bangladesh is sending a delegation led-by its environment minister to the conference as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cancelled her attendance.
The team will leave for Paris on November 30; Manju will attend the conference on December 5.
Replying to a query at the press conference, Manju said they would make all decisions regarding Bangladesh’s position in regard to the conference after discussing with the prime minister.
Environment Ministry Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed, who accompanied Manju at the press conference, said: “We will also negotiate whether the global temperature level should be kept at 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“At most times, adaptations do not get priority in the meeting. So, we will raise our voice to emphasise adaptation in order to save the coastal area from the rough impact of climate change."
