Legal and Policy Response to Climate Change in Bangladesh

Climate change represents the most significant threat to global safety and existence in the twenty-first century. Unlike localized devastations caused by wars or natural disasters, climate change poses a unique global challenge. The international community’s first collective response was the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Rio de Janeiro, followed by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which emphasized the responsibility of developed states. The 2015 Paris Agreement expanded this responsibility to all nations, underscoring the need for a unified effort in mitigating climate change. Subsequent Conferences of the Parties (CoPs) have developed further measures for mitigation and adaptation. As a dualist state, Bangladesh enacts domestic laws to implement international treaties. It is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and has developed laws, policies, and regulations addressing mitigation, adaptation, renewable energy, and disaster management. This chapter examines the international legal framework on climate change and Bangladesh’s efforts to combat climate change through domestic legislation and policy development.