Bangladesh takes baby steps towards climate-friendly just transition

As Bangladesh prepares to release a new five-year national power plan early next year, researchers are urging the government to boost clean energy and pursue policies that would help secure a green and socially just transition for the South Asian nation.

Today, only about 3.5 per cent of the country’s power comes from renewable sources, a figure the government plans to increase to 40 per cent over the next two decades. But climate activists say it lacks the comprehensive approach needed to achieve that goal.

The South Asian nation now depends on natural gas for more than half of its power, while a further 8 per cent comes from coal - a percentage that is set to rise in the coming years if plans to build new coal-fired plants are implemented.

That would be incompatible with the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit planetary heating - and could put the low-lying nation at higher risk of climate change impacts such as rising seas, environmentalists argue.

Under the Paris accord, close to 200 countries agreed to slash emissions to keep global temperature rise “well below” 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial times and ideally to 1.5C.

But the planet has already warmed about 1.1C since then and is projected to heat up by 2.4C even if current targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 are met, scientists say.

Bangladesh’s emissions are minimal compared to developed nations, but if it rolls out plans to build new coal plants, it will likely miss its climate goals, while adding unsustainable energy infrastructure and jobs, activists warn.

Governments at last month’s COP26 climate summit backed the need for a “just transition” approach, including efforts to secure workers’ rights and livelihoods as economies shift to greener production to tackle climate change.

Here’s a look at where Bangladesh has got to with planning a “just transition” for its people:

How popular is the concept in Bangladesh?

The term “just transition” has recently made its way into national policy and labour discussions. But many workers and factory owners may be unaware of the term, researchers say.

A number of policy initiatives suggest Bangladesh is committed to ramping up green energy. Earlier this year, for example, it cancelled plans to build 10 new coal-power plants.

But according to the government website, it is still working to add eight others, most of which are under construction.

The “Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan”, launched this year and presented at COP26, focuses on low-carbon growth.

But the real-world impact of such policies is not yet visible despite the government’s publicly stated aim of boosting wind and solar energy, said Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director at the Dhaka-based Center for Policy Dialogue. “There is a gap between the political commitment and the bureaucratic process,” he added.

He pointed to growing interest in using more Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which emits lower levels of carbon dioxide than coal but is still a planet-heating fossil fuel.

Officials say Bangladesh’s carbon emissions are very low compared with other countries, and the steps it is taking are necessary for economic growth and development.

Which Bangladeshi industries are focused on just transition?

Apart from small steps in the Bangladesh garment industry, the world’s second largest clothes exporter, the principles of a just transition are rarely being applied, researchers say.

About 140 out of at least 2,000 garment factories that export clothing are certified by LEED, a US-based ratings system for green buildings.

Those factories are putting solar panels on their rooftops, seeking new ways to recycle water and chemicals, and using more energy-efficient machines.