Asaduzzaman Shamrat

On December 12, 2015, during the COP21 conference, world leaders agreed to reduce global warming and limit global warming to 1.5% by 2050. As a media worker, I was fortunate enough to cover the signing ceremony. But I am deeply disappointed by the unusual delay in implementing the agreement by the leaders of the countries involved in climate change in a decade. It is an understatement to say that it is disappointing, but I consider myself unfortunate.
As a climate activist, I feel that when the ink on the Paris Agreement dried, the world began to boldly believe that a global agreement signed by almost every nation could move humanity away from the severe catastrophe of climate change. The diplomatic pledges, the commitments to emission targets, and the commitments to climate finance formed the backbone of this historic agreement. Now, more than ten years later, it is time to take a sober assessment: where have we succeeded, where have we fallen behind, and what should Bangladesh – and the world – do next?
The Paris Agreement’s significance lies first in its near-universality. With over 190 countries voluntarily committing to the shared goal of keeping global warming well below 2 °C—and striving for 1.5 °C—it codified a principle: that climate change is a shared challenge, requiring collective solutions.
Bangladesh, acutely vulnerable to sea-level rise, cyclones, and shifting monsoon patterns, embraced this framework with urgency. Our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) have repeatedly emphasized adaptation, resilience, and the pursuit of low-carbon growth. These commitments, though voluntary, have shaped policies, project funding, and public discourse alike.
Across the globe, solar and wind energy capacity has soared. By mid-decade, solar installations surpassed 1,200 GW, with wind exceeding 900 GW. Costs of renewable power have fallen steeply, setting a foundation for broader transition. Bangladesh, too, has seen solar growth—particularly in off-grid and rural electrification projects—though megawatt-scale deployment remains modest.
Global climate finance nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022—from around US $675 billion to USD 1.46 trillion. Developed countries contributed at least USD 115 billion in 2022 alone. At COP29 in 2024, nations pledged to increase annual climate funding to USD 300 billion by 2035, while some developing nations insist the real need is closer to a trillion dollars annually.
For Bangladesh, these flows have meant improved access to grants and concessional loans for coastal embankment improvements, cyclone shelters, and climate-resilient infrastructure. Still, adaptation-related allocations often remain far smaller than required.
The Paris Agreement introduced the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), mandating standardized reporting on emissions and climate actions—beginning around 2024—with built-in peer review through global stocktake exercises. For Bangladesh, the ETF pushes stronger domestic data collection, better project appraisal, and integration with national planning cycles.
Global greenhouse gases climbed to a record 57.1 Gt CO₂e in 2023—up 1.3% from 2022—with power, transport, agriculture, and industry among the top sources. Combined with current NDCs, the world is heading toward a temperature rise of roughly 3 °C by century’s end—far beyond safe thresholds.
To remain within a 1.5°C pathway, emissions must plummet by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net-zero by 2050. The gap between current pledges and this pathway stands at 29–32 Gt CO₂e—a yawning divide that demands urgent policy escalations.
Though the USD 100 billion goal was surpassed in 2023, much of that capital came as loans rather than grants, and only around 30% targeted adaptation. Bangladesh—a country on the frontline of climate impacts—continues to grapple with major financing barriers for survival-centric adaptation.
While commitments are in place, transformative action depends on domestic institutions and political will. Carbon pricing, fossil fuel phase-outs, and clean energy mandates are nascent or absent. Coordination across ministries—energy, environment, finance—remains a chronic challenge.
Globally and domestically, emissions must peak before 2025 and drop sharply—aiming for 12% annual reductions from then onward. Bangladesh must raise the ambition of its NDCs to reflect more aggressive renewable capacity expansion, energy efficiency gains, and adaptation targets.
Bangladesh must fight for more grants and equitable financial instruments for adaptation—especially for coastal infrastructure and loss & damage insurance. Simultaneously, domestic policies should protect poor households and small farmers during energy transitions.
From the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the Planning Commission, government entities need better data systems, integrated climate budgeting, and cross-sector coordination. Civil society and academia must hold the state accountable—and contribute to project design and monitoring.
Green engineering, agro-based climate adaptation, and resilient urban planning must receive more support from universities, vocational institutes, and private-sector R&D. Public campaigns can bolster awareness—ensuring urban and rural communities alike understand both risks and solutions.
Bangladesh’s voice must be strong and clear in multilateral forums like COP and UNFCCC processes. Championing fair finance, coastal resilience, and just transitions, we can spotlight that small, climate-vulnerable countries deserve equity—not charity.
The first decade of the Paris Agreement has shown that global solidarity and institutional frameworks can spark real change. Yet without intensifying political will, scaling finance equitably, and embedding climate responsibility into governance, the achievement will remain aspirational.
For Bangladesh, the stakes are existential. Rising seas, intensifying cyclones, melting Himalayan-fed rivers, and climate-induced migration compose not abstract threats—but daily realities. We must rise to the challenge—within our borders and beyond them.
Bangladesh stands at a crucial junction—between survival and stagnation, hope and peril. As the world marches toward the next climate decade, let unity, urgency, and equity guide both global and national strategies. The hour is late—but not too late. The world must take action, not tomorrow or at the next meeting, but effective action now.

• Asaduzzaman Shamrat, Executive President, South Asian Climate Change Journalist Forum (SACCJF).