Governance failure, coordination gap undermine effectiveness of climate change adaptation in Bangladesh

A study-sharing event titled “Effectiveness of Climate Change Adaptation in Bangladesh: Challenges and the way forward” found crucial gaps and challenges in adaptation while limited focus on livelihood adaptation, significant coordination gap among government departments, corruption, nepotism, non-governance in planning and implementation, lack of accountability to the people have severely undermined the outcome of the adaptation activities in the study areas.

The programme was organized by Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD), International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), Independent University, Bangladesh, Brighters, Youth4NDCs, and Greenpeace on 27 February 2025 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Findings form two ground studies independently conducted by CPRD and ICCCAD were disseminated at the event.

Among the two studies, the one conducted by CPRD intended to sketch the scenario of the climate adaptation actions at the local level and their effectiveness in minimizing or avoiding climate risks at the community level as well as to figure out the potential factors that determine effectiveness and sustainability adaptation efforts.

The ICCCAD study aimed to explore ways to incorporate locally-led adaptation (LLA) to the overall global goal on adaptation (GGA) targets through developing context-specific, complementary and inclusive adaptation indicators and also to investigate how NAPs align with climate adaptation efforts and a country’s development goals, mobilizing resources and engaging local stakeholders.

Both the studies used participatory methods to collect data including, Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, Consultation Meetings, and a criteria-based rapid assessment from sub-district level officials at different government organisations, focal persons of local NGOs, community/local government leaders, and the community people. The studies were conducted in the Haor region and South-west costal region.

The CPRD study identified a number of crucial gaps and challenges in adaptation. It has explored that adaptation projects are mostly DRR-centric, highly dependent on techno-physical solutions, less focused on building community resilience. Also, there has been a lack in considering future risks that based on science in designing adaptation efforts.

The study by ICCCAD found that local communities have long practiced informal local landscape adaptation (LLA) but are now seeking support and knowledge to systematically address climate change and disasters.

Dr. Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, deputy managing director, PKSF; and Dr. M.

Asaduzzaman, former research director, BIDS were present and spoke at the event.

As a special guest, Dr. M. Asaduzzaman, former research director of BIDS, said the process of development should be more adaptive and region-specific and should consider the impacts of climate change in the respective region. The infrastructural solutions or development should not be the only focus. Integration of different sectors such as agriculture, livelihood, health, gender, and human rights should be equally emphasized in the adaptation interventions, he added. The community people need assistance with science and technology, but it has to be region and context-specific and be led and owned by vulnerable people themselves.

 Md. Shamsudohha, Chief Executive of CPRD, gave a welcome speech and explained the study findings and put forth several recommendations. He demanded adaptation actions be designed, prioritized, and implemented based on robust assessment of the future risks, taking into account Indigenous knowledge and scientific modeling, and the needs of the locality as well as the differentiated risks and existing inequality. He also urged for strengthening of a localized, participatory approach to infrastructure development and resource management to build long-term resilience and for establishing ownership of the community people by effectively engaging them in planning, implementation, operation, monitoring, and maintenance.

Saqib Huq, Managing Director -ICCCAD said, natural resources and ecosystems are vital to local communities, making their knowledge and opinions essential in resource management. Prioritizing local perspectives has proven effective in preserving ecosystems and benefiting the community. He also added that the diversity in leadership is still something the localities fall behind. He also stressed considering clustering of adaptation actions and apply them at the contexts and areas suitable for them.

In the expert discussion session of event was spoken by Dr. Laura Kuhl, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and International Affairs, Northeastern University, Boston; Dr. Bimal Raj Regmi, Senior Consultant, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, OPM Nepal.

In the panel discussion session of the event there were highlights of key areas and gapes of climate change adaptation. Spoken by at the session Md. Nashir Uddin Faruq, Deputy Chief Executive, Shushilan; Anwar Hossain, Deputy Program Manager, Islamic Relief Bangladesh; Jasmima Sabatina, Contact Point, Loss & Damage Working Group, YOUNGO; Amanullah Porag, ED, Youth4NDCs; Faria Hossain Ikra, Human Rights Activist.

The CPRD-conducted study was presented by Shekh Nur Ataya Rabbi and Shanjia Shams and the study by ICCCAD was presented by Towrin Zaman Raya. The event was concluded with a vote of thanks from Sumaiya Binte Anwar, Program Manager at CPRD.