Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the four-day National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Expo 2024 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka on 22 April, aiming to address the adverse impacts of climate change in recent times.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury came up with an announcement while addressing a press conference at his ministry office in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The NAP Expo is an outreach event organised by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group in collaboration with relevant bodies and organisations.

It promotes the exchange of experience and fostering of partnerships between a wide range of Party and non-Party actors and stakeholders on how to advance the NAP.

The Party and non-Party actors and stakeholders include policymakers and experts on NAP from national and subnational government authorities, representatives of the Adaptation Fund, the Global Environment Facility, the Green Climate Fund, United Nations organisations and other international organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, regional centres and networks, and the private sector; and key scientists and practitioners on climate change adaptation.

With a focus on scaling up adaptation, this year’s event will be designed with a goal to pursue overarching outcomes aimed at increasing the scope and depth of adaptation actions.

Saber Hossain said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Bangladesh has been recognised as one of the most successful countries worldwide and as a resilient nation in adapting to climate change.

In response to an offer following the success, Bangladesh is going to arrange the event where Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UNFCCC, has given his consent to attend the programme, said the minister.

Taking part in the press conference, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Farhina Ahmed said a total of 383 representatives from 104 countries including 114 from Bangladesh have registered to join the function.

Apart from these, 550 representatives from different ministries and departments of the government, climate specialists, NGO workers and students are expected to take part in this year's programme, she said.

Highlighting that 53 countries have so far submitted their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to the UNFCCC, the Secretary of Environment said that participation in the conference will offer mutual benefits to all by researching various issues concerning the adaptation activities of different countries in tackling the impacts of climate change.