The outcome of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) is crucial for climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh, said Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

In less than two weeks, world leaders, government officials, negotiators, and representatives of the private sector and civil society organisations are going to attend the COP26 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

CPD and the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) jointly organised the virtual dialogue "Bangladesh's Expectations from COP26" Sunday to shed light on the expectations from the Conference.

Dr Fahmida Khatun, executive director of CPD, and Professor Mizanur Rahman Khan, deputy director of ICCCAD, made presentations at the dialogue.

The study pointed out that the least developed countries (LDCs) are the worst victims of climate change vulnerability. Moreover, the ongoing pandemic has put enormous pressure on climate-vulnerable countries.

In Bangladesh, annual average temperatures increased by 0.64 per cent in 2018, which was 10.20 times faster than the annual average temperature increase of 0.06 per cent in 1961.

Due to floods, Bangladesh is expected to incur losses equivalent to 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Given these critical consequences, Bangladesh has an active interest in the outcome of COP26.

Five specific agendas are critically important for Bangladesh.

First, ensuring the commitments of major carbon-emitting countries to limit carbon emission; second, scaling up climate funds urgently to support climate-vulnerable countries; third, ensuring the bigger share of climate fund towards adaptation; fourth, finalising the Paris Rulebook to ensure accountability; and fifth, establishing the mechanism for loss and damage.

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The upcoming climate summit is going to be a defining moment for world leaders. How they are going to implement the commitments of the Paris climate agreement are to be seen following the COP26, said Dr Fahmida while presenting at the dialogue.

The report also recommended that vulnerable countries like Bangladesh have to ensure investment in renewable energy and energy infrastructures.

Considering that the challenges are manifold, the study proposed a collaborative action of all countries to produce an "Adaptation Communication."

"There is a huge gulf between the claimed delivery and the actual receipt, and the mitigation and adaptation ratio is still not improving," Professor Mizan mentioned in his presentation.

The study also pointed out that the European Union (EU) is the largest contributor in terms of climate finance.

He also raised the question of whether or not the UK-led COP26 would be able to change the game.

Charles Whiteley, ambassador and head of the EU delegation to Bangladesh, said many of the points featured in the study show a high degree of commonality with Bangladesh's activities on climate change adaptation.

The EU already submitted their nationally determined contribution (NDC) emphasising 55 per cent greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction by 2030.

He felt that the private sector has a bigger role to play in tackling climate change.

Md Ziaul Haque, director of Dhaka region at the Department of Environment, focused on three critical issues – keeping the global 1.5-degree temperature goal alive, ensuring that $100 billion is mobilised and allocated each year to the developing countries, and operationalising the global goals adaptation.

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He said the mitigation ambition of Bangladesh has increased over the last years. "So, the country has been planning for a long-term low emission strategy and is now pushing for having dedicated spaces to discuss the issue of adaptation at various levels."

"Bangladesh has already submitted its enhanced NDC, and it is expected that some concrete outcomes will emerge from the COP26."

Judith Herbertson, development director of FCDO Bangladesh, highlighted two important issues – mitigation in line with the 1.5-degree global goal, and adaptation with a focus on protecting communities and natural habitats and access to climate finance.

She also emphasised the need for assistance from financial institutions for sustainable climate financing in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as on the adaptation of a loss and damage mechanism.

Dr Saleemul, director of the ICCCAD, also emphasised the collective responsibility to tackle climate change.

He mentioned that, on behalf of the climate-vulnerable countries, Bangladesh has a big role to play.

Regarding the $100 billion climate finance commitment, he said the current demand for finance is at least $500 billion in five years. "We should work beyond the COP26."

Md Abul Kalam Azad, the special envoy of the Climate Vulnerable Forum Presidency of Bangladesh, emphasised the need for reviewing NDC each year instead of five years. "All countries should adhere to the Paris Rulebook."

"Also, Bangladesh can raise its voice and call for regional collaboration and can monitor the mobilisation of a climate fund of $100 billion."

Professor Rehman Sobhan, chairman of CPD, said there are some asymmetries between individual responses and the wider externality of the global system.

He said Bangladesh should focus more on its strategies and fulfilling the commitments to achieve the goals at the national level, and that would automatically help the country achieve the global commitments as well.