During the ongoing NAP Expo at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center, Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed revealed the government's new decision to combat climate change by increasing the renewable energy target to 40%.

She emphasised Bangladesh's leading role in global adaptation efforts, and highlighted the importance of focusing on public and mental health issues amidst climate challenges.

Addressing the technical session titled “Implementation National Guidelines in Urban Local Government Context with Effective Participation: Learning from Practices,” Farhina stressed the need for extensive tree plantation in urban areas to mitigate rising temperatures.

The government is actively involved in tree plantation initiatives, and encourages public participation in the endeavour. Furthermore, she underscored the need to augment water reservoirs in Dhaka to cope with climate-induced changes.

Regarding the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), the environment secretary outlined the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6.73% by 2030, with a potential additional reduction of 15.12% through international assistance. She emphasised the critical role of international financial support in realising Bangladesh's climate action plans.

The panel discussion featured insights from various stakeholders including Dr Md Sarwar Bari, director general of Local Government Division (Monitoring, Inspection and Evaluation wing), and Shaikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan, country representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).