Prime Minister may meet with Erdogan, among others

The 'World Climate Conference' COP-31 has begun in the coastal city of Antalya, Turkey, with a pledge to implement old promises. 

The main goal of this conference is to move the world towards renewable energy by implementing the declaration to reduce global temperatures, with more than 100 heads of state from 198 countries, attended by nearly 150,000 people. The opening ceremony, along with the commitment to climate sustainability, has been committed to limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees, as always.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is arriving in Turkey on Tuesday (November 10) on a three-day official visit to attend the UN climate conference 'COP-31'. During this visit, he is likely to have a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The summit will be held in the coastal city of Antalya, Turkey, on November 11 and 12. Foreign Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury confirmed to reporters on the sidelines of the summit that there is a strong possibility of a meeting between the two leaders. 

There is a possibility of a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the conference.

The Foreign Secretary also confirmed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will also hold separate bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Australia, the President of Uzbekistan, the Deputy Prime Minister of China, and the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom during the visit.

As per the schedule, the Prime Minister will address the plenary session of the conference on November 12 and participate in several bilateral meetings with world leaders.

In addition, the issue of reducing global warming and launching a compensation fund to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the future has also been put on the table for discussion. Representatives of the state and civil society will speak at the conference with a view to jointly solving the global climate crisis and implementing environmentally sustainable policies.

Flags of participating countries are flying: The Blue Zone and Green Zone of Antalya Expo City have been decorated. The flags of participating countries are flying in a flutter. Representatives of civil society and environmental activists from different countries are calling for the protection of the earth with their bodies and clothes.

In the diplomatic Blue Zone, countries are engaged in dialogue. In the Green Zone, environmentalists and civil society representatives are holding small talks on environmental protection, food security, climate change, renewable energy, and compensation for climate-affected countries. Discussions and dialogues on food, agriculture, and health will continue in both zones.

Turkey is committed to making it effective and tangible: Turkish Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum, President of COP-31, strongly urged countries participating in the conference to implement climate finance, electrification and the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Murat Kurum's voice was reassuring. He said that Türkiye is committed to making this conference effective and practical, not just limited to discussions.

Calling for rapid, tangible and visible action on climate commitments through discussion and consensus, he said, "The climate crisis knows no geographical boundaries. There are various discussions going on around the world about climate issues. We want them to be implemented."

He called for dialogue, consensus, and effective action by states to achieve this goal. As the president of the conference, he made 10 priority declarations.

The announcements are - Zero Waste, Clean Energy, Food Security, Building Climate Resilient Cities, Climate Implementation Bridge, Green Industrialization, Youth and Education, Ocean and Marine Environment Protection, as well as the Implementation of the Technical Framework for Climate Finance and Adaptation Policies.

The conference also discussed the issue of releasing compensation funds for climate-affected countries and transferring the green nature framework. The diplomatic zone discussed the presentation of a global policy-coordinated plan to reduce methane gas in the food and agricultural sectors, and the transition to green energy.

There have been multiple discussions and dialogues on various issues, including preventing food waste and increasing surplus in the Green Zone, implementing zero waste, and using biofuels in aircraft.

Human rights activists, environmentalists, and experts say that while the annual conference promises zero waste and promises to compensate climate victims, the reality speaks differently.

They say that powerful nations are showing the audacity to increase their military power, which is responsible for global warming, by talking about global warming. 

During or shortly before the UN closed-door meeting in the Blue Zone at Antalya Expo City, environmental and life-threatening attacks have occurred in various countries around the world, which is the main driver of increasing global warming.

Not only the attacks, but various countries have also announced plans to increase military capabilities and nuclear power.

Therefore, various states, civil society representatives, and human rights activists have raised questions about the various policy declarations of the COP-31 conference.

The conference will highlight Bangladesh's success in achieving climate resilience and the country's experience in addressing the impacts of climate change across the Asian region, including South Asia. At the same time, it will strongly highlight the kind of international assistance Bangladesh needs to address future climate disasters—especially the need for direct grant-based climate funds without debt traps.

Dhaka will also strongly demand that countries responsible for the majority of global carbon emissions must be held accountable in climate negotiations.