UNGA president calls for greater investment in climate adaptation, disaster preparedness

United Nations General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman on Friday called for greater investment in climate adaptation, early warning systems and disaster preparedness, particularly in countries with limited resources to respond to climate-related disasters.

In a post on his verified Facebook page, the Foreign Minister said the climate crisis was already affecting where millions of people could live, how they earned their livelihoods and whether their communities could withstand future disasters.

“Rising seas threaten coastal communities. Extreme heat, floods and droughts are putting lives, infrastructure and livelihoods at risk,” he wrote.

Speaking about the ongoing UN climate conference, COP31, he said he was advocating greater investment in adaptation, early warning systems and disaster preparedness, particularly in countries with the fewest resources to respond.

He also stressed the need to ensure that developing countries have access to the technologies, financing and expertise required to build long-term resilience.

“Ultimately, climate action must be measured by the people and ecosystems we protect,” he added.

The climate conference is being held at the Antalya Expo Center from November 9 to 20, with the World Leaders' Summit taking place on November 11-12. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended the summit during a three-day visit to Turkey.

Earlier, the prime minister called on wealthy nations to provide grants rather than additional loans to climate-vulnerable countries. He also demanded debt relief, technology transfers and greater financial support to help developing economies tackle climate change.

“Climate-vulnerable countries need grants, not more loans that increase their debt burden,” Tarique said in an address to the UN climate conference in Antalya, Turkey.