Bangladesh reaffirmed its global leadership in sustainable apparel manufacturing at COP30, urging international partners to significantly scale up climate finance to support the country’s transition toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector — the powerhouse of its export economy.
At a high-level discussion titled “Mobilising Climate Finance to Accelerate Sustainability Transition of the RMG Sector of Bangladesh: Opportunities and Challenges,” held Thursday at the Bangladesh Pavilion in the Blue Zone, government officials, global climate financiers, and industry leaders warned that Bangladesh’s momentum in green industrialisation will stall without predictable long-term financing.
The session was jointly organised by the Economic Relations Division (ERD), the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM), and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Opening the session, AKM Sohel, Additional Secretary of ERD, said Bangladesh had already demonstrated that industrial growth and sustainability “can move together,” but cautioned that deeper decarbonisation cannot progress unless climate finance flows increase substantially.
“The global community must recognise the urgency,” he said.
A BGMEA visual presentation highlighted Bangladesh’s distinction as the world leader in green apparel production, with nearly 250 LEED-certified garment factories—the highest anywhere. These facilities have already reduced water and energy use, cut emissions, and set international benchmarks for sustainable production.
However, officials noted that billions of dollars in new investment will be required to fully decarbonise the sector and meet rapidly evolving sustainability standards demanded by global buyers.
In a prerecorded keynote, Vidya Amrit Khan, Managing Director of Desh Garments Ltd and BGMEA Vice President, stressed that the RMG sector’s future competitiveness is directly tied to access to climate finance.
“Manufacturers have shown leadership, but the burden of transition cannot fall on factories alone,” she said. “Climate finance is no longer a choice.”
Presenting a technical keynote on Bangladesh’s NDC3.0, Dr Shah Abdul Saadi warned that without targeted and scaled investment, the RMG industry will struggle to meet its 2030 emission-reduction commitments.
He explained how Bangladesh’s updated climate pledges could serve as a foundation for attracting global finance toward low-carbon technologies and resource-efficient manufacturing.
Climate finance leaders underscored Bangladesh’s potential to become a global model for green industrialisation — if investment pipelines can be strengthened.
Joaquim Leite, Head of Climate Finance at the NDC Partnership, called Bangladesh “one of the most promising countries for green industrial transformation,” adding that the sector needs predictable, long-term finance to scale its progress. Renewable energy, he noted, would enhance both emissions reduction and competitiveness.
Sara Jane Ahmed, Managing Director of CVF-V20 and Finance Advisor to the V20, said climate finance must reach sectors positioned at the intersection of climate vulnerability and economic significance. “The RMG sector is exactly that intersection,” she said.
Samiun Nabi, Climate Finance Expert at IWM, said Bangladesh could unlock millions of dollars through carbon markets if they are strategically designed and integrated with sector-wide decarbonisation strategies.
The session closed with a question-and-answer segment followed by remarks from AKM Sohel, who reiterated that Bangladesh’s achievements in sustainable manufacturing must be matched by stronger global financing commitments.
Speakers emphasised that while Bangladesh has already set global standards in green garment production, achieving the country’s 2030 ESG and climate targets will require substantial investment. They identified blended finance, carbon markets, and innovative global partnerships as essential pathways for accelerating the transition.
Organisers said the insights from the session will contribute to a climate-finance blueprint for the RMG sector, guiding its future direction on sustainability, resilience, and international competitiveness.
Bangladesh’s active presence at COP30, they added, reflects not only its climate ambition but also its determination to lead the next phase of sustainable industrial transformation — positioning the country as a pivotal force in the global apparel supply chain.
