A capacity-building workshop in Khulna brought together officials, experts and civil society to support Bangladesh’s national climate resilience and loss and damage strategy through inclusive partnerships.
As one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, Bangladesh is advancing efforts to strengthen national climate resilience and address climate-induced loss and damage through inclusive, multi-stakeholder engagement.
A day-long capacity-building workshop was held on Wednesday in Khulna, bringing together senior government officials, climate experts, academics, civil society representatives, youth climate activists and media professionals to support the formulation of national strategies on climate resilience and loss and damage.
The workshop was organised by the non-governmental organisation Adams Foundation under the project titled “Supporting National Strategy Development on Climate Resilience and Loss and Damage through a Multi-Actor Partnership”. The event took place at the Adams Auditorium in the Railgate area of Khulna.
Khulna Additional Divisional Commissioner (Overall) Abu Sayed Md Manzur Alam attended the workshop as the chief guest. He said climate-related losses and damages can be reduced through effective adaptation and coordinated action.
“If we adopt appropriate adaptation strategies and implement them properly, the losses caused by climate change can be significantly reduced,” he said. “Protecting the coastal region requires translating research recommendations into practical and timely action.”
He added that building a disaster-resilient and sustainable Bangladesh is only possible through collective efforts. “When government institutions, people and development partners work together, we can build a climate-resilient nation capable of facing future challenges,” he said.
Highlighting infrastructure and livelihood concerns, he said coastal embankments should be upgraded to serve multiple purposes. “Existing embankments must be made safer, accessible and environmentally friendly, while alternative employment opportunities should be created for coastal communities,” he said. He also cautioned that improving the lives of climate-displaced coastal populations should not disrupt the ecological and social balance of urban areas.
The workshop featured a panel discussion with experts from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Khulna University, the Khulna Development Authority and the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), reflecting a broad range of academic, technical and planning perspectives.
“Addressing loss and damage requires more than global negotiations; it demands locally informed strategies, strong partnerships and inclusive decision-making at the national level,” said Saqib Huq, Managing Director of ICCCAD. “Multi-actor platforms like this help bridge science, policy and lived experience, which is essential for effective climate action.”
He added that national strategies must be grounded in local realities. “If national policies are disconnected from what communities are experiencing on the ground, they will not deliver meaningful results,” he said.
The session was chaired by Ashiq Mahmud, Deputy Executive Director of Adams Foundation, who said such dialogues are critical for shaping policy. “This workshop is part of a broader effort to ensure that voices from the local level meaningfully inform national climate strategies,” he said.
The keynote paper was presented by Associate Professor Dr Anjum Tasnuva of KUET’s Institute of Disaster Management, who highlighted the need to recognise both economic and non-economic losses. “Loss and damage is not only about infrastructure and income; it also includes culture, identity and social systems that are being eroded by climate change,” she said.
Project Coordinator Zillur Rahman and ICCCAD representative Md Noor Elahi provided an overview of the project and its objectives.
The project is being implemented locally by Adams Foundation, nationally by ICCCAD and internationally by Germanwatch. The workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ understanding of climate change impacts, economic and non-economic loss and damage, post-COP30 developments and decisions and the Multi-Actor Partnership (MAP) framework. It also sought to inform ongoing consultations on Bangladesh’s national loss and damage strategy and encourage stakeholder input into policy development processes.
Discussions further covered national and international responses to climate-related loss and damage, climate change impacts on agriculture and the importance of locally led adaptation in building long-term resilience.
Participants included officials from government and non-government institutions from Dumuria and Batiaghata upazilas, civil society representatives, youth climate activists, university students and media professionals. Participants said continued dialogue and capacity-building initiatives are essential to ensure that Bangladesh’s loss and damage strategies remain inclusive, evidence-based and aligned with evolving global climate governance processes ahead of upcoming international climate negotiations.
