The International Food Policy Research Institute is deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Saleemul Huq, a pioneering climate scientist from Bangladesh. Prof. Huq passed away in Dhaka on October 28, 2023, at the age of 71. We are grateful for the collaboration we enjoyed with Prof. Huq on topics related to the nexus of food systems and climate change.
Prof. Huq was Director of the International Centre for Climate Change & Development (ICCCAD) based in Bangladesh, Advisor to the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), among other roles. He was an early advocate for community-based efforts to engage the global community to understand, pay for, and adapt to worsening climate change impacts on developing and vulnerable nations. He was recognized as a global influencer on climate justice and his groundbreaking work played a pivotal role in building the capacity and engagement of the UNFCCC’s LDC group in difficult negotiations and securing much-needed support. The IPCC panel, of which he was a part, was recognized for its efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about human-caused climate change with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
Apart from climate justice, Prof. Huq worked on critical issues related to environment, development, and food security. In 2021, he served as an Action Track Chair for the UN Food Systems Summit.
Prof. Huq joined many IFPRI discussions as an expert, engaging on a wide array of topics ranging from agricultural insurance, food and nutrition security, planetary boundaries, and food system transformation. He also strongly advocated for investing in youth as gamechangers, especially girls, who will be critical in changing diets, behaviors, and broader consumption patterns.
Prof. Saleemul Huq was cognizant of his dual role at all the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) events and remained an active participant in all the COPs until his passing. In his own words, “As a Bangladeshi and British citizen, I have been working for two decades to enhance collaboration between the universities and researchers in both countries to tackle the twin global challenges of poverty eradication and dealing with climate change.” He bridged the knowledge gap between research and practical solutions for the developing nations.
In addition to his scholarly and advisory duties, Prof. Huq spent considerable time teaching and sharing his experience with students at the Independent University in Bangladesh, Imperial College in London, the University of Dhaka, and the United Nations University.
Prof. Huq was known for his kindness, integrity, and dedication to the welfare of underprivileged people affected by climate change. Those who knew him personally attest that this became a deeply held personal belief that extended beyond his professional life.
IFPRI is honored to have worked with Prof. Saleemul Huq. He was a guiding voice for many IFPRI researchers working on South Asia in the field of environment and climate change, and we greatly appreciated and looked forward to his presence at various IFPRI events.
On behalf of the IFPRI community, we express our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Professor Huq.