By switching to dark mode you can reduce the energy consumption of our digital service.

Assistance to Local Communites on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangladesh

This project, commissioned by the Danish government, aimed to understand the future problems of communities, to generate adaptation options and to suggest alternative livelihood options.

© Oxfam

Adaptation context

Extreme climatic events, such as the cyclone ‘Sidr’ which hit Bangladesh in 2007 play an important role in increasing poverty, food insecurity, diseases, and death tolls as well as many other development issues. It has been said “global warming will continue for many decades, resulting in dangerous consequences for poor countries like Bangladesh, depending on respective vulnerability contexts. Impacts of climate variability, change and extreme events will lead to severe stress on overall development, environment and human well-being” (Climate Change Cell of DoE & UNDP).

Project background

Tthe Danish government launched the ‘Climate and Development Action Programme’ in 2005 in order to ensure that climate change concerns will be incorporated into Danish development assistance where relevant, which also includes the country development program in Bangladesh.

The project, “Assistance to local Community on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangladesh”, was an effort commissioned by the Danish government through Embassy of Denmark and ActionAid Bangladesh to understand the future problems of communities, to generate adaptation options and to suggest alternative livelihood options for the communities in order to have security in food and livelihoods. This project successfully completed two phases on December 31, 2010.

From 2011, a second project named ‘’Scaling Up Climate Change Adaption with Local Government in Bangladesh’’ started. This project was implemented in three different climate hot spots in three geographical regions- prone to flood, draught and cyclone, salinity. Better practices and knowledge generated from the 3 year long action research project “Assistance to Local communities on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster risk Reduction” (2008-2010) will be taken into consideration while implementing the project. Lessons learned for the project have been incorporated in this proposal while newer initiatives proposed to make community based adaptation more comprehensive, effective and sustainable. The project during its implementation phase (2008-2010) experienced visits of different groups, experts and ActionAid personnel from different units and countries. This proposal has tried to incorporate their concerns and feedbacks to make it more comprehensive and sustainable. Strengthening local government and linking institutions with community based adaptation from human rights based approach gained special focuses in this proposal besides capacitating the community to adapt themselves and to confront the challenges of climate change.

Objective

The objective of this project is to facilitate the scaling up of community based adaptation and capacity building of the community to cope with climate change, to sensitize policymakers and politicians to adopt pro-poor disaster financing, and to include and build on the best practices of community based adaptation.

Specifically, this will be realised through four aims:

  • Strengthening local government capacity.
  • Promoting rights based approach to climate resilient development.
  • Women equality and gender empowerment from a climate justice perspective.
  • Sensitization of the policymakers and politicians to adopt pro-poor disaster adaptation financing.

Project sites

  • Sahajadpur and Belkuchi Upazila (Sub district) of Sirajgonj District.
  • Porsha and Shapahar Upazila (Sub District) of Naogaon District.
  • Kolapara Upazila (Sub District) of Patuakhali District.
  • Sadar Upazila (Sub District) of Faridpur District.

Budget

Budget: The total cost of project over one and half years is BDT 28, 136, 486 (DKK 2,250,919)

(EoD contribution: 88.85%; AAB contribution: 11.15%)

Related resources

Add your project

Exchange your climate change adaptation projects and lessons learned with the global community.