NAP Expo 2024 held at Dhaka
Four-day long NAP Expo 2024 dated 22-25 April, concluded on April 25th at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This annual event, organized by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) under the UNFCCC, serves as a crucial platform for global stakeholders to exchange experiences and foster partnerships to advance National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). With this year's theme centered on "Driving Transformational Adaptation through National Adaptation Plans," the expo brought together 383 delegates from 104 countries.
The event commenced with an inaugural address by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who emphasized the imperative of increasing adaptive capacity and resilience to safeguard the future for generations to come. She highlighted the need for coordinated risk reduction initiatives to achieve this vision, inaugurating both the UN Climate Adaptation Conference and the Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP).
Throughout the expo, 23 stalls showcased adaptation efforts from various countries. Notably, the Bangladesh Bondhu Foundation (BONDHU), in collaboration with Future Carbon Limited, presented their climate-friendly activities, with a spotlight on the Solar-powered Drinking Water Supply Project. Representatives from BONDHU provided project details and disseminated information to visitors through demonstrations and leaflets.
The expo featured 34 sessions where experts deliberated on transformative adaptation, financial processes, adaptation activity observation, evaluation tools, and gender-responsive adaptation. These discussions underscored the importance of international collaboration in addressing climate challenges.
In essence, the NAP Expo serves as an international forum for countries, organizations, and stakeholders to formulate and share experiences in implementing NAPs. As the event concluded, there was a resounding call for robust international support for climate adaptation efforts, reflecting the collective commitment to combatting climate change.