More than 100 young climate activists have handed over a 20-point Youth Climate Position Paper 2026 to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, seeking greater youth participation and stronger community-focused measures in Bangladesh’s climate policies ahead of COP31.
The charter was unveiled at the closing ceremony of Bangladesh Youth COP 2026 in Dhaka on Tuesday, organised by ActionAid Bangladesh and Brighters.
The position paper, prepared through consultations with young people from all 64 districts, highlights seven priorities: climate mitigation, locally led adaptation, loss and damage and climate finance, technology transfer, climate education, gender equality and social inclusion, and youth leadership in policymaking, ActionAid Bangladesh said in a press release.
The document was developed through focus group discussions, storytelling sessions, participatory mapping and community scorecards involving climate-vulnerable communities. It also included experiences from seven vulnerable areas and three years of research across six climate-vulnerable clusters.
The paper was handed over to the ministry ahead of COP31 in Türkiye, where climate-vulnerable countries are expected to push for stronger global action on adaptation, financing and implementation.
Fahmida Khanam, acting secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said climate action required participation beyond government agencies.
“Young people can be the strongest guardians of the environment,” she said, highlighting their role in addressing pollution, biodiversity loss and climate awareness.
Kazi Ehsanul Haque, director general of the Climate, Environment and Transboundary Water Resources Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said young people should have a stronger role in climate decision-making because today’s policies would shape their future.
The four-day programme also included youth-led climate negotiations, discussions with diplomats and sessions featuring climate-affected communities.
Nizam Uddin, a youth representative from Hatiya, Noakhali, highlighted the challenges faced by island communities, including disrupted transport and healthcare services during storms and waterlogging.
“Basic services and local protection must be prioritised in climate adaptation policies,” he said.
The organisers said the recommendations would be used to represent youth perspectives in Bangladesh’s climate discussions ahead of COP31.
