Bangladesh’s economic future is increasingly tied to the stability of its energy system. Yet heavy reliance on imported fuels exposes the country to global price shocks, foreign-exchange pressure, and rising electricity costs for industries and households. As energy demand rapidly grows over the coming decades, the challenge is no longer simply expanding power supply it is building a system that is resilient, affordable, and compatible with national climate commitments. This

Bangladesh’s industrial future is being shaped by a global shift toward low-carbon production. For the country’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which power more than 90% of industrial units and employ the vast majority of the industrial workforce this transition is no longer a distant climate agenda. It is increasingly tied to export competitiveness, energy security, and access to global markets. Yet most SMEs operate with outdated machinery, high electricity costs, and

Climate finance is becoming one of the most decisive forces shaping South Asia’s development trajectory. Yet the region home to some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries often faces structural barriers in accessing and implementing global climate funds effectively. The South Asia Stakeholder Consultation on the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) brought together civil society leaders, researchers, financial experts, and development practitioners from across the region

Bangladesh’s rapid infrastructure expansion has been powered by borrowing but the way projects are governed is now emerging as a critical risk to the country’s fiscal future. In recent years, external debt has grown sharply while repayment pressures are rising, particularly in the power and infrastructure sectors. As global financial conditions tighten and major loan repayments approach, questions are intensifying about whether public borrowing is consistently translating int

Change Initiative, in collaboration with ActionAid Bangladesh. This open dialogue confronts the "Nordic Paradox," where global climate leaders inadvertently finance fossil fuel lock-ins in Bangladesh. We analyze the severe economic and social costs of LNG dependence, exemplified by the stranded Rupsha Power Plant and FSRUs in Moheshkhali. These projects have triggered massive forex drains and devastated local economies, displacing thousands of families dependent on salt and f

Natural Rights Led Governance (NRLG) is a call to restore balance between people and the planet. It is rooted in the belief that nature possesses inherent rights just as humans do to exist, thrive, and regenerate. NRLG challenges the conventional model of governance that treats nature as property and resources as commodities. Instead, it envisions a governance system founded on respect, reciprocity, and responsibility where every policy, investment, and institution aligns wit

The Climate Debt Risk Index 2025 (CDRI’25) unveils the uncomfortable truth that nations least responsible for climate change now shoulder its greatest financial burdens, forced to borrow for survival in a world that owes them reparations. Bridging data and justice, CDRI’25 exposes how loan-heavy climate finance deepens inequality across 55 vulnerable economies and redefines climate debt as a moral and legal obligation under the emerging paradigm of * Natural Rights-Led Gover

At COP30, Change Initiative hosted the Global Stakeholder Consultation on the Climate Debt Risk Index 2025 (CDRI’25) bringing together LDC leaders, government representatives, Indigenous voices, youth advocates, and climate finance experts from across the world. The consultation highlighted a shared and urgent message: Climate impacts are intensifying debt crises in countries that contributed the least to global emissions. CDRI’25 evidence and ground-level testimonies reaffi

The CDRI - 02 (2025) : Bangladesh Report tells a powerful story about Bangladesh’s struggle to survive climate disasters while being...

Bangladesh’s NDC 3.0 – Ambition or Stagnation? Every climate promise must be stronger than the last. If we keep repeating the same weak pledges, how can we expect a safer future? In the next Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), Bangladesh has the chance to turn ambition into action, proving that climate justice is non-negotiable. But a staggering USD 316 billion finance gap threatens to turn ambition into illusion. Change Initiative calls for a decisive leap in Bang

Dhaka Without Nature? Rethinking Natural Rights Led Urban Sustainability Dhaka, once a city of natural beauty, now stands at a crossroads, suffocating under the weight of rapid urbanization and ecological degradation. This research delves into the city's transformation from 1980 to 2024, using satellite imagery, land use analysis, and Land Surface Temperature (LST) data to explore the devastating loss of green spaces, water bodies, and agricultural land, all of which contribu

নবায়নযোগ্য জ্বালানির ব্যবহারে উৎসাহিত করতে বাংলাদেশে দ্বিতীয়বারের মতো “ নবায়নযোগ্য জ্বালানি বিষয়ক রিপোর্টিং পুরস্কার-২০২৫ ” চালু করতে...

Policymakers, Experts and Stakeholders Urge Immediate Deferral Request for Bangladesh’s LDC Graduation, Citing Need for Credible Assessment and Public Mandate. DHAKA, Bangladesh - April 23, 2025 – A diverse coalition of national and international stakeholders, convened today by the Change Initiative think tank, strongly urged the Government of Bangladesh to submit a request for deferral of the country's graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, currently sch

In a significant move towards climate justice, Change Initiative (CI) introduced the ‘Climate Debt Risk INDEX 2024’, a Groundbreaking...

Climate change presents an urgent global challenge requiring immediate action, especially in vulnerable regions like Bangladesh and other Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Mobilizing and allocating climate finance is crucial for supporting mitigation and adaptation efforts. However, the climate finance debt trap poses significant concerns, as countries face difficulties repaying climate-related loans while still needing to invest in resilience. This roundtable discussion will

On June 22, 2024, Change Initiative held a press conference titled “Green Economy and Views on Climate, Environment, Disaster Management, and Renewable Energy in the Proposed Budget for the Fiscal Year 2024–25,” emphasizing the need for a transition to Sustainable Prosperity 2050. The discussion highlighted that Bangladesh’s climate-related funding in the proposed FY 2024–25 budget is critically low, with only 100 crores allocated for renewable energy out of the required 3,08

2nd Dhaka Renewable Energy and Finance Talk (DREFT2) Promo Video As part of the Renewable Energy Week, Change Initiative organised 2nd...

Change Initiative (CI) hosted a Roundtable Discussion titled, ‘Solar Net Metering in Bangladesh with a Focus on Export Processing Zones (EPZs): Prospects, Challenges and Scaling’ to explore the role of solar net metering in advancing Bangladesh’s transition to renewable energy. The event focused on CI’s research findings from the report “Solar Net Metering: Status, Prospects, and Scaling Challenges,” emphasizing the potential for scaling up solar net metering systems within E