'US to support Bangladesh’s energy security goals'

The US has promised support for Bangladesh's energy security, clean energy and energy access goals, including the Clean EDGE Asia Initiative.

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said this in a letter issued to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on October 13, 2022.

According to a foreign ministry statement issued on Sunday, the letter was issued in response to Bangladesh's decision to join Global Methane Pledge. 

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen wrote the letter on October 12 to join the US and EU-led joint initiative to curb global methane emission by on average at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030.

John Kerry said the US State Department's Bureau of Energy Resources looks forward to establishing a new partnership between the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh and Pacific Northwest Laboratory to improve operations and planning to ensure grid stability and reliability to support the increased use of renewables.

It also aims at scheduling a date to launch a new collaboration on carbon capture, utilisation and storage and blue hydrogen development with Petrobangla.

The statement also mentioned that the special envoy hailed Bangladesh for its announcement of cancelling ten new coal power plants last year.

Kerry applauded Bangladesh for its ambitious climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives despite being traditionally an insignificant emitter.

He highlighted several actions of the Biden administration in combatting climate change, including the new legislation Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Kerry also urged Bangladesh to join several US climate initiatives to set a positive example for other large emitters and encourage them to meaningfully participate in the global climate process.

He thanked Bangladesh for its ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted last year before COP26 in Glasgow and requested further ambitions ahead of COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh in November this year.

Kerry also assured support of the US government in terms of finding ways to implement the NDC goals.

In the letter, Minister Momen reminded Kerry of the latter's assurance of supporting Bangladesh with critical technologies to mitigate any adverse effects on productivity in the agriculture and livestock sectors for reducing methane emissions.