The discussion was held at the Residence of the British High Commissioner where young climate change activists from Bangladesh Youth Environment Initiative (BYEI) shared their ideas with climate experts and policy influencers such as Waseqa Ayesha Khan MP, Chair, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and Co-Chair, Climate Parliament; Professor Saleemul Huq, Director, International Centre for Climate Change and Development; Farah Kabir, Country Director, Action Aid Bangladesh; and Md Mahbub ur Rahman, CEO, HSBC Bangladesh.

Organised ahead of COP27 in November, the aim of the event was to strengthen UK-Bangladesh cooperation on climate change by exchanging views and practical suggestions for action at all levels. Particular focus was given to views from young people who will have to face the harsh impacts of climate change in the years ahead more than anyone else. The debate highlighted the difficulties of transitioning to clean energy and the costs of adaptation, particularly amongst vulnerable countries like Bangladesh.

British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson hosted the event and said

“As one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Bangladesh is playing a key role internationally both in prompting high emitting countries to be more ambitious, as well as setting the example in building resilience. The UK and Bangladesh partnered closely in the run up to COP26 to raise global ambition, and we continue to work closely to turn commitments into action. It was great to hear fresh thinking on mitigation, adaptation and climate finance from expert and passionate young people.”

The UK is committed to working with Bangladesh in tackling the adverse effects of climate change. The UK government is currently supporting Bangladesh’s work on expanding renewable energy to help meet Bangladesh’s stretching target of 40% of the country’s energy from clean and renewable sources by 2041. Bangladesh is finalising its National Adaptation Plan, and is calling on developed countries to raise their ambition on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and on providing greater amounts of climate finance.

Further information

Email: Dhaka.Press@fco.gov.uk

Follow the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh on Twitter: @RCDicksonUK

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Thank you Mr President and I thank the USG for Legal Affairs for his briefing.

This meeting represents another attempt by Russia to distract from its crimes in Ukraine and Iran and Russia’s failure to abide by their international obligations.

Russia and Iran have been caught red-handed violating resolution 2231.

Russia is now concocting an argument about process because they cannot defend their actions. We have seen them do this many times before. It is sad that this is now standard procedure for them.

Based on the evidence provided by Ukraine and significant amounts of open source reporting, our view is clear: Iran has supplied UAVs to Russia with which Russia is targeting Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure and these UAVs fall under the list in Annex B paragraph 4 of UNSCR 2231.

Given no prior approval was sought or granted by the Security Council, these transfers represent violations of resolution 2231.

Unlike Russia, we are happy for our position to be verified. We have therefore expressed support for an impartial, expert investigation by the UN Secretariat, in line with its mandate under resolution 2231, so the facts can be clearly established.

As Council members are aware and as others have made clear already today, the UN 2231 Secretariat has conducted many such investigations, most recently in UAE and Saudi Arabia. So this is entirely in line with precedent and normal practice.

Russia’s claim we are trying to unduly influence the Secretariat is both absurd and hypocritical. It is Russia, in trying to sustain its disinformation which first attacked the Secretary-General and now the whole Secretariat, just for doing their jobs.

And it is Russia that has threatened to end all cooperation with the UN if the Secretariat does not do as Russia wants.

That is not the behaviour of a country with nothing to hide. It is the behaviour of a bully.

Colleagues, what is Russia trying to do here today?

Russia is trying to make the UN’s ability to monitor implementation of a key non-proliferation resolution subject to a new lock in the Security Council in which Russia itself has a veto.

Russia is again trying to abuse its seat on the Council to shield itself from international scrutiny.

Further open source reporting suggests that Iran intends to transfer yet more UAVs and, potentially, ballistic missiles to Russia. Any such transfers of items could constitute further violations of resolution 2231 and represent a significant escalation.

In using Iranian drones to attack civilians, as part of its invasion of Ukraine, Russia is violating the UN Charter, a Security Council resolution and may be committing war crimes. That is quite the hat-trick. These increasingly desperate attempts to distract us from these facts and undermine the system must be rejected.