Bangladesh must urgently shift from reactive responses to evidence-based, data-driven climate action to address its escalating climate emergency, speakers stressed at a dialogue titled “Bangladesh in Climate Emergency: Evidence-Based Pathways for Climate Action” held in Dhaka today.

The event was organised by Oxfam in Bangladesh and its partners, with support from the Australian government, which brought together senior policymakers, development partners, experts, and practitioners to explore innovative pathways for climate action, ecosystem restoration, and climate finance.

Global and national data underscored the urgency of the crisis. Climate-related disasters have increased by 83% globally, rising from 3,656 events between 1980 and 1999 to 6,681 events between 2000 and 2019. More than 9,700 extreme weather disasters were recorded between 1995 and 2024, causing over 830,000 deaths and more than USD 4.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide. In Bangladesh alone, over 300 disasters have affected approximately 190 million people between 1995 and 2024, with annual economic losses estimated at USD 3 billion.

With this data and information, Dr Mohammad Emran Hasan, Head of Climate Justice and Natural Resource Rights, Oxfam in Bangladesh, presented a paper on "Bangladesh in Climate Emergency: Evidence-Based Pathways for Climate Action” that also shares that Bangladesh is experiencing a deepening climate crisis marked by frequent floods, cyclones, salinity intrusion, and ecosystem degradation. The discussion highlighted the urgent need to transition towards evidence-based policymaking that integrates scientific data, spatial analysis, and community-generated evidence.

Joining the discussion, renowned climate expert Professor Ainun Nishat emphasised strengthening climate governance through innovation and data: 'Bangladesh stands at a critical moment where climate challenges must be addressed with precision, transparency, and forward‑looking strategies. Evidence‑based approaches are essential for strengthening our policies, guiding investments, and amplifying our leadership in global climate negotiations.”

The dialogue also highlighted growing global concerns around tipping points and accelerating damages. Scientists now warn that tipping points in the climate system may occur sooner than previously expected, while climate-related damages have been rising by 5–7% annually.

Dr M. Shahidul Islam, Professor of Geography and Environment, University of Dhaka, highlighted the growing gap between knowledge and action: “Bangladesh has the experience, knowledge, and capacity. "The challenge is translating that knowledge into timely and effective action. Evidence must drive decision-making if we are to address the complexity of climate risks.”

Moderated by Md Sariful Islam, Head of Influencing, Communications, Advocacy and Media of Oxfam in Bangladesh, the event featured a presentation of a comprehensive position paper outlining the scale of the climate crisis and proposing actionable solutions. It presented two of Oxfam’s innovative tools, i.e., the Loss and Damage Dashboard and the Interactive Spatial Decision Support System (iSDSS), to help facilitate the climate actions and climate finance through evidence backed by 3 Senses (i.e., social sensing by community reporting; remote sensing by utilising earth observation to verify and validate reported cases; and finally, common sensing by utilising the data and evidence).


Nayoka Martinez‑Bäckström, first secretary & deputy head of development cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, underscored the global dimension of climate justice and finance: “Countries like Bangladesh are paying the highest price for a crisis they did not create." Evidence from the ground is crucial to ensure that climate finance reaches the most vulnerable communities in a fair and accountable way.”

Ashish Damle, country director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, highlighted the importance of linking people, policy, and evidence: “Climate action must remain rooted in the realities of those most affected. Through innovations like the Loss and Damage Dashboard and spatial decision systems, we are bringing community voices into policy spaces and strengthening accountability in climate finance.”

The discussion also highlighted Bangladesh’s increasing vulnerability, including rising temperatures of 0.5–1.0°C over the past decades; sea-level rise affecting over 100 coastal upazilas; and projections that 13.3 million people could become internal climate migrants by 2050. Organised under the Blue Economy and Inclusive Development for Climate Justice (BID4CJ), supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian Government and implemented by Oxfam in partnership with BTS, CODEC, and BELA, it focuses on advancing inclusive climate justice through evidence‑based approaches, ecosystem restoration, and community stewardship.