Sohanur Rahman ::
Bangladeshi young people have declared 2025 as the “Year of People’s NDC,” urging the government to adopt inclusive and people-centered climate policies as part of its third Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) under the Paris Agreement.
The announcement, made at a demonstration at the National Press Club in Dhaka, was spearheaded by Youth4NDCs with 12 other prominent organizations including YouthNet Global. The initiative seeks to amplify the voices of young people, marginalized communities, and ordinary citizens in shaping the country’s climate commitments.
The campaign focuses on establishing a bottom-up approach to the NDC revision process, ensuring meaningful youth participation through formal mechanisms. It highlights priorities such as climate resilience, locally-led adaptation, and nature-based solutions to protect the nation’s most vulnerable populations.
As Bangladesh prepares to submit its revised NDCs, the campaign aligns with insights from the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement, aiming to realign national climate goals with grassroots realities.
Youth4NDCs has launched a petition aiming to collect 100,000 signatures within six months, urging the government to prioritize a people-centric approach in NDC 3.0. The campaign calls for ambitious climate commitments grounded in grassroots realities and public aspirations.
Amanullah Porag, Founder and Executive Director of Youth4NDCs, emphasized the urgency, saying, “Bangladesh’s NDC 3.0 must be ambitious and rooted in the realities of its people. We have just five years to meet the 1.5°C target. This is a pivotal moment for our country to lead by example.”
“This is not just about climate targets; it’s about justice and equity for all,” said Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global. “Empowering young people for climate action, locally-led adaptation, gender equality, and a just transition is essential to ensure that marginalized communities have their voices heard in our national climate plan.”
