DHAKA – Two major climate initiatives, the ‘Better Mills Initiative’ and the OnetrueSOLar Fund, were launched at the Bangladesh Climate Action Forum 2024, marking significant steps toward advancing sustainability efforts in Bangladesh. Held on October 10, 2024, at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka, the forum brought together over 450 delegates from around the world to foster strategies to support the country’s climate goals.
Organised by the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE), the event hosted industry leaders, government officials, climate advocates, innovators, brands, development organisations, policymakers, and academics.
In addition to the launch of the two initiatives, the forum featured keynote addresses, panel discussions, presentations, and workshops, with more than 42 national and international experts sharing insights on how to build a climate-resilient, carbon-neutral future through collaboration and innovation.
Key topics included Solar Rooftop System Optimization, Thermal Energy System Optimization, and Clean by Design: Lessons from Bangladesh and Impact, all aimed at enhancing sustainable practices.
The forum was supported by key partners including the Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale, the European Union, GIZ, H&M, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, PDS Limited, and Target.
Dr. M. Fouzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, said there s a need to increase Bangladesh’s renewable energy penetration, which is currently at 2 per cent. He called for collective efforts to move toward larger, more sustainable systems.
Lutfey Siddiqi, Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, highlighted the importance of how products are manufactured, and said climate transition should be viewed not as a compliance issue but as a business strategy for differentiation.
H.E. Michael Miller, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, pointed out Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate change and explained that even small global temperature increases have severe impacts on the country. He outlined the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, which aims to mobilize up to 300 billion euros in public and private investments by 2027.
H.E. Achim Tröster, Ambassador of Germany, emphasised the need for energy security in both Bangladesh and Germany, particularly as Bangladesh continues to grow as a regional economic power.
Thijs Woudstra, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Netherlands, praised the Bangladeshi garment industry for its progress toward decarbonization.
Mostafiz Uddin, founder and CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, called for shared responsibility and collaboration to meet sustainability targets.
The forum also saw participation from numerous ministries, embassies, and international organizations, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and embassies from Denmark, France, and Sweden.
An engineering workshop, hosted by industry-leading organisations such as Armstrong Fluid Technology, Forbes Marshall, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP, Illukkumbura Industrial Automation (Pvt) Ltd., and Jinko Solar, brought together over 300 engineers from apparel manufacturing units. They explored strategies for driving sustainability and decarbonization efforts.
