Advocacy to Enhance Justice for the Climate Vulnerable People in Bangladesh

Goal of the project: The interests, demands and needs of the most vulnerable people of Bangladesh are recognized and considered in national climate change policy which is pro-poor and vulnerability oriented.

Objective of the project: NCCB successfully implements its campaign to enhance justice for the climate vulnerable people in Bangladesh. The affected and most vulnerable people in the project areas of the member organizations are mobilized and able to claim their rights. Network members have enhanced evidence-based knowledge and practice on climate change and adaptation. The institutional set-up of the network is finalized and capacities are further enhanced.

Duration of the project: 2009 –on-going

Donor: Network on Climate Change in Bangladesh, Funded by Bread for the World, Germany

Background information of the project: Bangladesh is highly vulnerable countries to climate change due to global warming, because it is low-lying, located on the Bay of Bengal. So, sea level rise, temperature rise, increased evaporation, changes in precipitation and changes in cross-boundary river flows are identified as the agents of change, which cause the most threatening impacts in the natural, social and economic systems of the country. So, the key risks identified for adaptation in Bangladesh are: drainage congestion reduced fresh water availability, disturbance of morphologic processes and increased intensity of flooding and disasters. ‘Network on Climate Change, Bangladesh (NCC, B)’ was established in 2005 with the support of ‘Bread for the World (BftW)’, Germany to address climate challenges. SHAREE implemented this project as a partner of NCC, B.

Results: Adaptation under climate change situation is a challenging and creative mission. SHAREE ensured peoples participation within the format of the project: Development of District Committees covering representatives of various professions like farmers and local elite to raise awareness on climate-change adaptation measures, and working with the local administration in Sherpur and Jamalpur.

Conclusion: The principal program under this project is to help farmers in agriculture so that they can take adequate adaptation measures which causes farm output declines, such as, inundation, storm surges, low river flows, salt water intrusion. Climate change is posing serious risk to the country’s social and economic development, and we hope, we could do something meaningful so that the lives and livelihoods of people are saved.