Saleemul Huq’s legacy: Ensuring climate-vulnerable nations are heard

In the days since renowned climate scientist Saleemul Huq suddenly passed away in Dhaka, Bangladesh, at 71, there has been a flood of tributes celebrating his life’s work. The Bangladeshi-British scientist was seen as instrumental in establishing an agreement for the loss and damage fund, and as a leading advocate for climate-vulnerable countries — where he supported building the capacity of the media, researchers, and climate. He also focused on bringing the experiences and knowledge of affected countries to the decision-making table. “What was really important is that he emphasized the fact that people who are exposed to climate change impacts are not passive victims, but are agents and actors and also, eventually tremendous sources of knowledge,” said Lisa Schipper, a professor of development geography at the University of Bonn, and a collaborator, mentee, and colleague of Huq for the past two decades. “What he teaches us is that we need to invite everybody to the table, and that there are no people who shouldn’t be at the table.” Huq’s work in the climate field was far-reaching. As well as leading the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh, he was an associate at the International Institute for Environment and Development in London and a lead author of several reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — which provides governments with scientific information on climate change — among other roles. He received the Order of the British Empire in 2022 for his work in combating climate change. As a proponent of community-based adaptation that focuses on the involvement of local stakeholders in responding to the impacts of climate change, his research and advocacy drew attention to the various ways communities can adapt to climate change — but also to its limits. For nearly a decade now, Huq championed the cause of loss and damage that is based on the “polluter pays” principle, and demands high carbon-emitting countries pay for the irreversible loss and damage caused by climate change in vulnerable countries. That relentless work, done alongside other advocates, resulted in the establishment of the loss and damage fund at the United Nations Climate Conference, or COP 27, in Egypt last year, but which is still under debate. In 2022, the scientific journal Nature named him a “climate revolutionary,” and one of the top 10 people shaping science for his work on loss and damage. “Nine out of 10 initiatives that have been really important for bringing the voices from the global south, they have his fingerprints,” Schipper said. Originally a scientist, Huq’s work veered into advocacy as the impacts of climate change became undeniable, and then deadly. “He started his journey as an academic, but he didn't stop there,” said Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy at Climate Action Network International. “For an academic to become an advocate, and a vocal advocate, is a journey.” Singh said Huq had attended all 27 of the climate summits so far: “And at the last COP, probably that was the first time I was standing next to him and we were sharing a placard and also shouting slogans, which didn’t come naturally to him. For me, those are the memories of him, of what I have seen of this journey for close to 20 years now.” According to Schipper, Huq built up a lot of young researchers from other parts of Asia and Africa. He was known for supporting and mentoring researchers and climate negotiators in a climate space that is dominated by research from high-income countries that are also high carbon emitters. He took the time to explain complex scientific concepts to ministers and journalists and was set to meet policymakers and journalists in a few days in Dhaka to discuss coverage of the upcoming COP 28, which will take place at the end of the month in Dubai. “He would give me a lot of story ideas, and if I had a problem understanding any scientific issues, I used to talk with him,” said Shamsuddin Illius, Chittagong bureau chief at The Business Standard. He added that he would also occasionally send Huq his stories before publishing to check scientific accuracy and Huq always helped with suggestions and improvements. Huq was also known for his work on capacity building, getting those from the grassroots and policymakers together. He valued engagement and media outreach so communities had the information they needed. “The way he bridged academic research, policy making, and ground-level action is not something that anybody can do so comfortably, and so naturally. That is something that he mastered,” Singh said. For Schipper, a huge part of his legacy is his persistence: “[That] we can’t give up, you know, that we have to keep pushing. And that even though things look bleak, in terms of the funding isn’t there, the justice isn’t there, we’re still increasing emissions, and so on. I think that’s kind of one major part of his legacy,” she said.