BAE, through Bangladesh Climate Action Forum, is bringing together industry leaders, government, climate enthusiasts, innovators, brands, development organisations, institutions, policymakers, and academicians.
The organisation explained that the theme of this year's conference highlighted the urgent need for sustainability within the fashion and apparel sector: "We aim to enhance our expertise in decarbonisation and climate resilience through impactful dialogue and capacity-building."
The day-long Bangladesh Climate Action Forum 2024 will reportedly feature a comprehensive program, including keynote addresses, panel discussions, presentations, workshops, and the launch of two critical initiatives.
The keynote addresses will cover a range of topics, including Climate Crisis & Fashion: Road for Bangladesh, Decarbonisation Pathways for Bangladesh, Climate Impacts, Adaptation and Resilience Priorities for Fashion Industry in Bangladesh, Funding Decarbonisations & Presentation by PDS.
BAE emphasised that the panel discussions will cover Unblocking Decarbonisation Roadblocks, Navigating the Future of CPPAs in Bangladesh, Climate Adaptation, Mitigation and Resilience: Road Forward, Climate Justice, Equity and Shared Responsibility, and Funding Decarbonization.
Additionally, key presentations will focus on Solar Rooftop System Optimisation, Thermal Energy System Optimisation, and Clean by Design: Lessons from Bangladesh and Impact.
BAE further said the engineering workshop which is supported by innovators and experts from industry-leading organisations, will see over 300 engineers from apparel manufacturing units join the event with the opportunity to gain "practical strategies to drive tangible progress toward sustainability and decarbonisation within their organisations."
According to Mostafiz Uddin, founder and CEO of BAE, achieving a net-zero carbon future is not just a necessity, it’s an urgent responsibility.
Uddin underscored the importance of aligning industries, particularly the fashion and apparel sector, with sustainable practices to reduce carbon emissions and build resilience for the future.
"Now is the time for collective action to ensure that our planet thrives for generations to come," concluded Uddin.
The event will also see the advisor to the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Dr M. Fouzul Kabir Khan; Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who will emphasize the critical environmental priorities shaping government initiatives; and other guests like the Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqi, who will provide a strategic overview of Bangladesh's international climate commitments.
BAE highlighted the fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions, exceeding the emissions from all international flights and shipping combined, noting that this "stark reality" calls for immediate decarbonisation efforts.
The organisation said: "By leveraging innovative low-carbon technologies, we can achieve a 50% reduction in emissions, demonstrating the power of collective action for a sustainable future."
The Bangladesh Climate Action Forum is supported by key partners, including Apparel Impact Institute (AII), Cascale (formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition), the European Union, GIZ, fashion giant H&M, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, Bangladesh, PDS Limited, and US retailer Target.
