Entrepreneurs can take policy support through investing in climate resilience project in the line with government's target to generate 40 percent of the energy from renewable sources, said experts at a forum on Sunday.
H.E.L.P. Services Foundation organized the forum tiled ‘Preserve Planet Earth, Dhaka-2023’ at Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) recently.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, special envoy on environment and Climate Change to prime minister, attended as the chief guest while climate parliament vice-chairperson Waseqa Ayesha Khan was special guest on the occasion.
While addressing, Chowdhury said “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has committed and made a bold statement that we want to provide 40 percent of the energy coming from renewable sources. As per the Mujib's Climate Prosperity Plan, we are transforming to resilient projects that leads us to turn challenges into opportunities,”
“Bangladesh is only contributing only 0.48 percent of the global emission. Thus, we are in dire need of this transitional shift. We are at ground zero for climate change. And Bangladesh will be the global leader in this role,” Chowdhury added.
Ayesha Waseqa Khan said there are 30 renewable energy projects under active progress of which 24 power plants are funded by the private sector and 65 more projects are being considered.
“We must keep in mind Bangladesh should avoid energy technologies that may become stranded assets in the long run and burden the country's economy in terms of subsidies,” she said.
ICCCAD Director Prof Saleemul Huq, IEEE President Prof Saifur Rahman, SOL Share founder Sebastian Groh and NASA grant winner Wahidul Hasan were keynote speakers while IUB founder trustee Quaiyum Khan was convener of the conference.
IUB chairman Abdul Hai Sarker, vice-chancellor Prof Tanweer Hasan, scientist Mobarak Ahmad Khan and the former ambassador Tariq Karim and Morshedul Bari, CEO of Envolead Ltd were also among the esteemed invitees.