Bangladesh urged to emphasise coronavirus pandemic in National Adaptation Plan

The government has been urged to put emphasis on the COVID-19 pandemic while formulating a National Adaptation Plan or NAP.

The Department of Environment is formulating the plan with funds from the Green Climate Fund.

NAP will allow Bangladesh to identify country-specific adaptation needs, develop and implement strategies to address the adaptation needs as well as help her decide on actions to protect vulnerable communities.   

The government on Tuesday organised a national-level consultation workshop initiating the formulation of the plan.

The objective of the plan is to lay the groundwork for integrating adaptation into development planning, the organisers said in a statement. 

Participants of the workshop underscored the need for stronger integration of local governments into the NAP process, the establishment of a smooth inter-ministry coordination mechanism, alignment of multilevel policy at all levels of the government and enhancement of knowledge on the adaptation process at the local and national levels.

Taking into cognisance of the COVID-19 pandemic, speakers urged to carefully examine the situation and make NAP a COVID-proof adaptation plan.

They emphasised innovative funding mechanisms as well as taking stock of the existing adaptation funding mechanisms.

Held within the framework of the GCF readiness and preparatory support project, titled Formulation and Advancement of the NAP Process or GCF NAP Project, this three-year programme aims to make a significant contribution to enhancing the institutional coordination mechanism in Bangladesh.

Khurshid Alam, assistant resident representative of UNDP Bangladesh, emphasised moving beyond the recovery from the coronavirus crisis to the “old normal” and requested the government to make the right choices for a green and nature-based development path.

He noted that the private sector has a big role to play, and must include risk and disruption into their business model.

Md Taibur Rahman, project manager of the NAP Process, hoped that NAP would be a science-oriented, holistic and integrated adaptation plan based on evidence.

The plan should be mainstreamed into the development planning and budgeting process, including Delta Plan 2100, Five Year Plans and SDGs with the appropriate legal and institutional framework necessary for implementation, he said.

A Shamim Al Razi, additional secretary for development at the environment, forest and climate change ministry, said Bangladesh needs to prepare its adaptation plan without delay which will help it combat climate change and under the Paris Agreement.

Mizanul Hoque Chowdhury, additional secretary for climate change, said NAP should put “strong emphasis” on raising public awareness from grassroots to the national level to combat negative impacts of climate change.

Mahmud Hasan, additional secretary at the environment wing, stressed addressing urbanisation and restricting unplanned urbanisation.

Ziaul Hasan, secretary for environment, forest and climate change,  said the government will include all possible stakeholders, including climate-vulnerable people, in the formulation process of NAP.

Dr AKM Rafique Ahammed, director general of the DoE, said NAP will focus on enhancing the adaptation capacity and reduce vulnerability.