Speakers at a roundtable on Tuesday stressed the urgent need to combat climate change and its impacts in Bangladesh, one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. Rising sea levels, cyclones, erratic rainfall, floods, and droughts have become defining features of daily life.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Bangladesh hosted the 14th edition of its monthly “SDG Cafe” discussion series, focused on Sustainable Development Goal 13: climate action. The event, titled “Climate Crisis Response: The Global Financial Mechanism for Climate-Affected Communities,” aimed to co-create innovative solutions and accelerate progress towards Agenda 2030.

The World Bank estimates that 19.4 million people in Bangladesh could be displaced by 2050 due to climate-related impacts, which disproportionately affect marginalised and low-income communities with limited access to finance, resilient infrastructure, and mobility.

Participants examined key financial instruments, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund, Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the Loss and Damage Fund. Discussions addressed challenges such as complex application processes, limited direct access for local actors, and capacity gaps. The roles of multilateral development banks, bilateral partnerships, and the private sector in mobilising resources were also explored.

Md Shamsuddoha, chief executive of the Centre for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD), delivered the keynote speech, highlighting the need for simplified and accessible global climate finance mechanisms for frontline countries like Bangladesh.

He stated, “Bangladesh’s vulnerability is globally recognised, yet support mechanisms remain largely inaccessible or inadequate. Tools like the Loss and Damage Fund, if operationalised effectively, could protect vulnerable lives and livelihoods.”

UNOPS Bangladesh’s Partnerships Development Manager Kuldip Malla opened the session by stressing the urgency of climate action and the need for practical collaboration. “We are at a critical juncture where climate vulnerability must be met with climate finance. Access barriers must not prevent countries like Bangladesh from receiving essential support. UNOPS is committed to supporting the Government of Bangladesh in navigating this global financial architecture,” he said.