Drivers and Challenges in Green Transition: A Case of Bangladesh's Textile Industry

The textile industry in Bangladesh is the largest source of export revenue and a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. While it provides substantial formal employment, it remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, which greatly contribute to climate change. In response, various initiatives – commonly referred to as the green transition - have aimed to enhance garment factories’ capacity to implement low-carbon solutions. These efforts include adopting renewable energy sources, reducing water consumption, and investing in eco-friendly production processes. However, progress has been slow. This article examines the drivers and challenges of green transition in Bangladesh's textile industry. Drawing on 34 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and observation of garment factories, this study finds that the primary driver of low carbon transitions is pressure from buyers, while the key challenges include a lack of investments, limited technical expertise, power asymmetries and insufficient government support. Our findings highlight that substantial power imbalances between buyers and garment factories (suppliers) hinder the implementation of low-carbon initiatives in the textile industry. This paper argues that addressing power imbalances between buyers and suppliers is essential to achieving a socially just green transition. Specifically, we suggest that both buyers and the government must provide institutional and financial incentives to ensure that the transitions is not only sustainable but also equitable.