The Press Release was first published in The Daily Star. Click here to read the original publication.

The United Nations Development Programme is committed to support Bangladesh in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said Stefan Liller, resident representative of UNDP Bangladesh today.

Liller said this while meeting Syeda Rizwana Hasan, advisor of the interim government for environment, forest, and climate change, and water resources, at her Secretariat office, as part of a high-level UNDP delegation.

During the meeting, Liller reaffirmed UNDP's commitment in supporting Bangladesh achieve its SDGs, particularly in combating climate change and preserving natural resources.

The discussions covered a range of critical environmental and climate change issues being faced by Bangladesh, according to a press release sent by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

Advisor Syeda Rizwana highlighted the importance of continued partnership and innovative solutions to address Bangladesh's environmental challenges and explore new opportunities for collaboration and strengthening ongoing initiatives aimed at protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development in the country.

The discussion also included issues such as enhancing collaboration between Bangladesh government and UNDP on sustainable environmental management, climate resilience, climate change adaptation, ecosystem-based management in Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs), community-based management in haor (swamp) regions, sustainable energy, low-carbon urban development, climate-resilient livelihoods, sustainable land management to combat climate change vulnerability, and reduction of hazardous chemicals.

Earlier, a French delegation led by Marie Masdupuy, ambassador of France to Bangladesh, also met with Syeda Rizwana Hasan, and discussed collaboration in areas including forest and hill ecosystem conservation for the Sundarbans, Sal forests and the Chittagong Hill Tracts, trans-boundary air pollution, river pollution, industrial pollution.

The meeting also addressed the urgent enforcement of a ban on polythene shopping bags, climate action collaboration, National Adaptation Plan (NAP) implementation, coastal afforestation, and the Adaptation Pact.