Disaster risk reduction

Currently, there are 2,113 water testing laboratories across the country, with 1,381 accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

In May, temperatures in the Philippines and Thailand topped 50 degrees Celsius as an intense heatwave gripped South and South-East Asia.

The World Meteorological Organisation found that climate change added 41 days of dangerous heat in 2024, harming human health and ecosystems in their report When Risks Become Reality: Extreme Weather. 

Vanuatu is emblematic of the cascading disasters that Pacific Island nations increasingly endure, where frequent earthquakes intersect with the escalating impacts of climate-induced hazards such as cyclones, rising sea levels, and coastal erosion accompanied by staggering loss and damage experienced by vulnerable populations and ecosystems.

The health impacts of the climate crisis do not fall evenly. Vulnerable populations — women, children, ethnic minorities, and those in poverty — bear the brunt.

The proposed Green Bank is envisioned as a specialised institution under a global-standard climate-bank model, with a paid-up capital of Bangladeshi Taka 3.24 billion.

Countries that are the least responsible for climate change are expected to suffer the greatest economic and environmental impacts as they have the fewest resources “to adapt to its impacts.”

By promoting recycling and resource efficiency, the revised rules aim to conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to a circular economy.