DHAKA, Bangladesh - According to U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas, addressing Dhaka's air quality problem is essential for public health and key to ensuring the city's long-term viability and livability.

On Thursday in Dhaka, the ambassador spoke at a gathering for Climate Action Champions (CAC).

From Tuesday to Thursday, the U.S. embassy, in collaboration withGenLab, a youth-led social enterprise, successfully hosted young climate activists to discuss ways to work together to address air quality.

Fifty young climate champions from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka were among the participants.

According to the embassy, Haas was present for the Thursday closing ceremony, encouraging the young delegates to carry on with their crucial environmental conservation work.

Dhaka has long struggled with severe air quality problems.

"This place frequently has some of the worst air in the world. The ambassador advised that you can access air quality data from our monitor at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka online 24/7.

"The U.S. government is strongly committed to addressing climate change through various ambitious initiatives and policies that align with and support global efforts to reduce the effects of climate change and make the transition to a more sustainable and resilient future. To effectively address the problems brought on by climate change, the United States must take a proactive approach to risk modeling and preparedness."

The ambassador explained that by doing this, "we engage experts and stakeholders in discussions of the impacts of climate change, which include more frequent and severe weather events, rising temperatures, an increase in sea level, and changing precipitation patterns.

"We support young climate champions who make a meaningful and constructive difference in the fight against climate change," the statement reads.

The CAC Network is a five-country regional initiative supported by the U.S. Department of State to develop and equip young leaders to spearhead climate action in the area.