US special Presidential envoy for climate John Kerry and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen discussed cooperation to deal with climate issues on Tuesday over phone.

"Yes, they had a nearly 27-minute discussion," a senior official told UNB after the phone call in the evening, saying they had broad discussions on issues of mutual interest.

Dr Momen said former Senator Kerry is a dynamic person with vision and they have known each other for a long time.

"I look forward to developing a very strong platform for resolving climate issues," he said.

Earlier in a programme, Dr Momen said climate change is an immediate and growing threat to the whole world.

Bangladesh has been severely affected by climate change and is recognised worldwide as one of the most vulnerable countries.

"It is a matter of relief that President Joe Biden has already signed the Executive Orders to rejoin Paris Agreement," Dr Momen said.

He believes that contribution of America in securing Paris Climate Agreement and sincere commitment to climate change as a foreign policy issue will help Bangladesh to fight against this climate change issue.

"We, as the current President of CVF, a Forum of 48 most climatically vulnerable countries, look forward to working together to save this wonderful planet for our future generations and with John Kerry, we believe, we can do it together," said Dr Momen.

US announcing target for cutting emissions soon

The world must take decisive action to build resilience to the devastating effects of climate change, Kerry told a global virtual summit Monday, pledging that President Joe Biden's new administration would play its role.

In a video message to the Climate Adaptation Summit hosted by the Dutch government, Kerry said, "We're proud to be back (in the Paris climate accord). We come back, I want you to know, with humility, for the absence of the last four years, and we'll do everything in our power to make up for it."

Biden, in his first hours in office last week, signed an executive order returning the United States to the historic 2015 Paris climate accord, reversing its withdrawal by Donald Trump, who ridiculed the science of human-caused climate change.

Kerry said the Biden administration is working to announce its own more ambitious target for cutting emissions soon, reports AP.

Outlining the new administration's plans to promote climate adaptation, Kerry said it will "leverage US innovation and climate data" to better understand and manage climate-related risks; increase the flow of finance to adaptation and resilience initiatives, work with institutions to improve resilience planning and promote greater collaboration.

Kerry was among world leaders who converged - virtually - on the Netherlands for the summit seeking to galvanise more action and funding to adapt the planet and vulnerable communities to the effects of climate change.