PM calls for four urgent actions to tackle sea-level rise

Shibbir Ahmed, New York – Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday called for four urgent global actions to address the growing threat of sea-level rise, including faster and deeper cuts in global emissions, predictable adaptation finance, wider access to climate-smart technologies and stronger international cooperation to address climate-induced displacement and loss and damage.

He made the call while addressing a high-level meeting on the existential threat posed by sea-level rise at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Prime Minister said a 25-centimetre rise in sea level could submerge around four percent of Bangladesh’s land by 2050, threatening the homes, livelihoods and human dignity of around 10 million people, citing a World Bank estimate.

“The sea is rising fast. Our ambition must rise faster,” Tarique Rahman said, urging the international community to translate the commitments of the Declaration on Sea-Level Rise into concrete action and ensure that no country is left behind to face the consequences of rising seas. He thanked the UN President for convening the high-level meeting and the co-facilitators for their efforts in preparing the Declaration.

Four urgent actions

Elaborating on his four-point call, Tarique Rahman first urged countries to accelerate and deepen global emissions reductions while ensuring that climate action remains fair.

“First, we must cut global emissions faster, deeper, and more fairly. We must keep 1.5 degree Celsius within reach,” he said. Second, he called for predictable, accessible and adequate financing for climate adaptation in vulnerable countries.

“Vulnerable countries like Bangladesh cannot face the grave consequences of sea-level rise alone,” he said, stressing the need for greater international support to help climate-vulnerable nations strengthen their resilience. Third, the Prime Minister called for wider access to climate-smart technologies, reliable climate data and early-warning systems for vulnerable coastal countries. He said Bangladesh had already invested in early-warning systems, strengthened cyclone preparedness and developed coastal protection measures despite having limited resources.

As his fourth call, Tarique Rahman urged stronger international cooperation to address climate-induced displacement, loss and damage, and to establish dignified pathways for communities forced to relocate because of rising sea levels. The Prime Minister said these measures were particularly important for Bangladesh, a densely populated delta where hundreds of rivers flow into the sea and millions of people live close to the coast.

“Our prosperity and future are tied to the coast,” he said.

Bangladesh’s climate initiatives

Tarique Rahman said adaptation alone would not be sufficient to address the consequences of rising sea levels because “the ocean reacts to every tonne of carbon the world releases.”

“Therefore, we need to rethink the way we consume, so that we reduce carbon emissions into the environment,” he said. He said Bangladesh was taking a number of steps to strengthen its climate resilience.

“Over the next five years, Bangladesh aims to dig around 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals, advance the Padma Barrage initiative to retain and reserve water, modernize the Teesta Barrage with a master plan and plant 250 million trees,” he said.

At the same time, Bangladesh is pursuing a green-growth strategy, with a target of generating at least 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, with a particular emphasis on solar power.

The country is also promoting green industries and environmentally friendly transportation, while developing a national carbon market and strengthening the protection of forests, wetlands and vulnerable coastal ecosystems, he said.

The high-level meeting brought together heads of state and government and representatives of international organisations to discuss the growing threat posed by sea-level rise and ways to translate international commitments into concrete action. Concluding his remarks, Tarique Rahman reiterated the need to turn the Declaration on Sea-Level Rise into tangible measures.

“I believe we will all come together, turn the promises of the Declaration into action, and ensure that no nation is left behind to face the rising tide,” he said. “Let our resolve rise with the sea, and let our action rise even faster,” the Prime Minister added.