Continued support from the development partners is critical for recouping Bangladesh’s GDP losses due to climate change-induced floods, droughts, cyclones, tidal surges and heatwaves, its policy makers say.
Every year, Bangladesh loses 1-2% of its GDP to negative impacts of climate change. The Bangladesh government implements various programmes to address the issue, but those are not enough and long-term initiatives are necessary, they noted.
They were speaking on Thursday at the closing ceremony of a project titled ‘Climate-resilient
Infrastructure for Sustainable Community Life in the Haor Region of Bangladesh,’ implemented by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF).
Economic Relations Division Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky said the government has implemented over 800 projects through Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund, and allocates 6–7% of its annual budget to combat climate change impacts.
So far, Bangladesh’s two Direct Access Entities to the Green Climate Fund—PKSF and IDCOL—have secured $447.3 million for 9 projects and 8 capacity-building initiatives.
However, Fahmida Khanom, additional secretary (Environment Wing), ministry of environment, forest and climate change, said: “The government alone cannot address the impacts of climate change.”
“This will only be possible through collective efforts of government and private institutions, as well as NGOs,” she stated further.
PKSF Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader said as a Direct Access Entity to both the Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund, PKSF is implementing various initiatives to tackle floods, droughts, and salinity.
“Our initiatives are enhancing the adaptation capacity of vulnerable communities and improving their quality of life through sustainable agriculture, water resource management, and disaster risk reduction,” he noted.
Under the Germany funded giz-Haor project, climate-resilient infrastructures such as CC block revetments and retaining walls were constructed in three Unions of Sunamganj district to protect houses from severe flash flood-induced erosion.
As a result, approximately 7,500 families have been protected from such risks.
The elevation of community spaces has also enabled food crop preservation, enhancing the economic resilience of the poor. Furthermore, planting trees along the structures has helped conserve local biodiversity.
Additionally, 1.54 km of protection walls were built in Jamalganj and Derai upazilas.
Addressing the event as the special guest, Ulrich Kleppmann highlighted that the German government is currently supporting 53 development projects in Bangladesh and reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to continue this cooperation in the future.
PKSF chairmn Zakir Ahmed Khan stated that PKSF ensures the highest quality and effectiveness of its interventions by dint of its unwavering integrity, transparency, commitment, and meticulous monitoring.
He expressed confidence that PKSF would continue its efforts towards sustainable and inclusive development by enhancing the adaptation capacities of the climate-vulnerable communities.