84240 Climate Action November 2011 Hasina’s shelter was one of the many that gave © Arne Hoel thousands a chance at survival. Coastal communities still bear the scars of previous cyclones and live with the risk of Rehabilitated Cyclone Shelter impending disasters. People live precariously, their livelihoods highly vulnerable to changing Shelter from the Storm: climate and depletion of natural resources. “The changing climate is making lives more A Simple Solution Saves Lives difficult for vulnerable communities such as mine,” said Hasina. “We shall need to work harder to adapt. But whenever I hear of a new shelter being built or an existing one being “I will never forget the night when the “The Paschim Napitkhali Primary repaired, I know that there is still hope for our cyclone struck. The wind howled and raged School serves as the cyclone-shelter in villages and for our families.” for hours; and the storm was relentless” said Hasina Begum, Headmistress of the our village, and helped save more than Government’s National Climate Change Paschim Napitkhali Primary School in Barguna, 800 lives during Cyclone Sidr in 2007” Strategy and Action Plan calls for the repair, Bangladesh. “Those who could not reach the cyclone-shelters on time were washed away To protect people from tidal surges, Bangladesh by the tidal wave – so many lives were lost,” has constructed a network of cyclone shelters Hasina paused; her eyes tormented, voice and developed a community-based early breaking. The memories of the disaster remain warning system that has served as a model fresh in her mind. for other countries throughout the world. The multipurpose cyclone shelters are used © Arne Hoel Coastal regions such as Barguna, have always throughout the year as schools, hospitals and been prone to disasters, especially tropical local government offices, and then play a critical storms. From 1980 to 2000 nearly 60 percent role in saving lives during cyclones and other of worldwide deaths from cyclones occurred Hasina Begum , Headmistress of Paschim Napitkhali natural disasters. Primary School in Barguna sharing her experience of in Bangladesh alone. With the effects of cyclone Sidr 2007 climate change likely to increase the frequency Thanks in large part to the growing network of and severity of cyclones and other natural cyclone shelters and the early warning system, maintenance and construction of additional disasters, Bangladesh needs to adapt to the number of fatalities in 2007’s Cyclone cyclone shelters throughout the coastal zones increased uncertainty and be prepared to ride Sidr was limited to around 3,500 compared of Bangladesh. Estimates of need of additional out even the worst storms. to 140,000 in the 1991 cyclone. Headmistress new shelters vary from 2000 to 4000. to build the resilience of households and foundation to withstand the force of water communities to adapt to the effects of climate and wind speeds up to 260 kilometers per change. This includes expanding the network hour. Livestock have space to gather below of life-saving multipurpose cyclone shelters in during disasters. Shelters have tube wells, line with the National Climate Change Strategy rainwater harvesting systems and separate and Action Plan. In its first meeting, the BCCRF rooms for pregnant women and for first aid Governing Council approved a US$ 25 million services. Solar panels are installed on the grant to address the impact of cyclonic storms. roof for efficient and reliable power. Sanitary The grant is constructing 56 new multipurpose blocks are upstairs so that they remain © Quddus Alam/DrikNEWS/Majority World Returning home from cyclone shelters after the storm with shelters, rehabilitating 50 existing shelters and accessible and untainted during disasters, their possessions constructing 40km of connecting roads in five and include separate toilets for men and coastal districts. women. Improved design increases the BCCRF Expands Cyclone Shelter The Government of Bangladesh is now lifespan and utility of the shelters, as well Network improving the design of shelters to make them as increasing their functionality as schools, The Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience as functional and effective as possible. Built on clinics and government offices during the Fund (BCCRF) is an innovative mechanism one-story pillars, the shelters have a reinforced rest of the year. Interview: Channeling Global Climate Funds to Country Priorities © iisd Reporting Service You’ve called Bangladesh a front-runner We also took another bold step in 2009: among developing countries in taking Bangladesh was the first country to set up a action to combat the effects of climate trust fund from its own revenue to invest in change. What have you been doing? climate change adaptation. The government has since allocated US$300 million to Bangladesh is among the most climate its Climate Change Trust Fund, and has vulnerable countries. As such, we have taken approved for funding 62 government unparalleled steps in the past few years to projects. These include priority construction DR. HASAN MAHMUD, MP Honorable Minister face this grave challenge. of dams in coastal areas for land reclamation Ministry of Environment and Forests and forestation along coastal embankments. Looking back over recent decades, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has adopted policies and In 2010, we established the Bangladesh Bangladesh implemented programs to alleviate the effects Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) of climate change. The country has invested as a way to channel external climate change colleagues and secretaries of key ministries, as billions in adaptation measures such as flood financing through a single, country-led well as civil society and development partner management schemes, coastal embankments, mechanism. The BCCRF has since enabled representatives. The Governing Council met cyclone and flood shelters, as well as raising five of our development partners to provide for the first time in early 2011, and has since roads and highways and doing research on around US$125 million in grants to support made significant progress in committing BCCRF climate-resilient farming. Bangladesh’s ability implementation of priority programs funds for priority operations. This includes to manage disasters--in particular floods and outlined in the Bangladesh Climate Change our first decision to mobilize US$25 million cyclones--has improved dramatically since Strategy and Action Plan. in grant financing to build additional cyclone 1991. How is BCCRF supporting your efforts shelters and rehabilitate existing ones. We are In 2009, Government took a pioneering step to address the effects of climate change? launching two other projects worth US$50 by adopting the Bangladesh Climate Change million to support community afforestation Strategy and Action Plan, a comprehensive As the Minister of Ministry of Environment and agricultural adaptation in coastal areas. long-term plan to address the impacts of and Forests, I chair the BCCRF Governing We have selected an umbrella organization climate change. Council, which includes other Cabinet to oversee the civil society window, which will disburse 10 percent of BCCRF funds to The BCCRF mechanism puts Bangladesh in an external support in areas of adaptation, capacity non-governmental organizations committed to advantageous position to receive significant building and technology transfer. This will be addressing the effects of climate change. additional funds available to compensate for an opportunity for the vulnerable countries to predicted damages arising from climate change. capitalize on the positive momentum created The BCCRF takes into account the concerns after the Cancun meeting last year. of both government and donor agencies in mobilizing external “While it took some effort to reach consensus on the In short, we have three objectives: funds to address the challenges BCCRF governance framework and financing modalities, we want second commitment period of climate change. While it took this investment was worth it to build a funding mechanism for Kyoto Protocol-we would like to some effort to reach consensus and a partnership that delivers results …. We would cement agreement of a post-Kyoto on the BCCRF governance encourage all development partners to channel additional Framework for emissions reduction; framework and financing ensure balanced financing for both modalities, this investment climate change financing through this single mechanism for adaptation and mitigation in future was worth it to build a funding coordinated support.” climate funds; and make significant mechanism and a partnership that delivers What do you expect from the Durban progress in mobilizing the Green Fund results. I am pleased that current donors will 2011 United Nations Climate Change announced in Cancun. add another US$30 million to the Fund shortly, Conference? All this to serve those who are most vulnerable and that other partners also are mobilizing to climate change and to help millions of funds to contribute to BCCRF. We would In Durban, we intend to speak with one voice Bangladeshis adapt and build resilience to the encourage all development partners to channel along with other most vulnerable countries to increased uncertainty and negative effects of additional climate change financing through climate change impacts. We want to raise our climate change. this single mechanism for coordinated support. concerns, secure our interests and press for A few words from a development partner of BCCRF: “The UK is very committed to supporting Bangladesh to cope with the impacts of Climate Change. We are optimistic that the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund will make rapid progress in 2012 - with the first project ‘breaking ground’ on new cyclone shelters in January next year.” Gwen Hines, Country representative, DFID Civil Society Engages for Community grant funding competitively to non- governmental organizations to implement Climate Change Program community-driven interventions on climate change adaptation. The BCCRF Governing Council has designated Palli Karma- Sahayak Foundation as the umbrella agency responsible for overseeing the Community Climate Change Program. Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman of the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation, sees © K. M. Asad/Drik/Majority World the value of this window: “People, particularly the poor in climate-vulnerable areas, such as the coastal belt, haors and boars, chars, hilly areas, and flood and drought prone areas face devastation A severely drought affected area in the Northern part of Bangladesh as natural disasters increase both in The Community Climate Change Program from the Bangladesh Climate Change frequency and intensity. Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman (CCCP) is an important window for financing Resilience Fund. This window will provide To protect their future, Ahmad there is real urgency to assist them in improving affected coastal zones, flood-affected areas and their resilience and ability to adapt. Under the charlands, and drought-affected or rain-scarce Community Climate Change Program, specific areas in north-western Bangladesh. Remaining areas of action for climate action adaptation will funds will be allocated to monitoring, be identified.” learning and sub-project refinement, through The program will disburse 10 percent of BCCRF knowledge sharing and dissemination of lessons funds, currently amounting to approximately learned. The first call for proposals from non- US$12.5 million. Of this amount, US$10 governmental organizations will be held in early CCCP is likely to fund fresh water supply initiatives in the million will fund projects in the three most 2012 for rapid implementation of community Saline prone coastal regions of Bangladesh vulnerable climate zones in Bangladesh: saline initiatives. Forests as First Line of Defense against Climate Change Forestry has both climate change mitigation “Government has taken the initiative to and adaptation benefits: by carbon create a green belt along the coastline sequestrating, forests can reduce the global and to improve forestry coverage in stock of greenhouse gases, and by effectively hilly areas for better soil stability and acting as a barrier against gusts and storm surges, forests can save lives and protect watershed management. The proposed communities vulnerable to climate change. project under the Bangladesh Climate © Mehrin Ahmed Mahbub Change Resilience Fund will contribute In the Bangladeshi context, the role of to our on-going afforestation and forests as an adaptation mechanism is highly significant. In coastal areas, foreshore reforestation program, as well as the afforestation is a proven cost-effective institutional development and alternative method to dissipate wave energy and reduce livelihoods of the forest communities.” floods on embankments during storm surges. Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad,Chief Conservator Forest a natural barrier to the velocity of storm surge and cyclonic wind This was evident during the 1991, 2007 (Sidr) of Forests. and 2009 (Aila) cyclones. The virtual absence to afforest and reforest areas exposed to of mangrove forests in coastal Chokoria and houses to collapse. Change in land use cyclones, storm surges and landslides. The surrounding areas resulted in large damages to patterns, encroachment of forest land, forest aim is to afforest 16,000 ha and 2,500 km property and loss of lives in 1991. In contrast, fires, uncontrolled and wasteful commercial of strip plantations in seven coastal and hilly even scattered and unplanned afforestation logging, illegal felling of trees, turning forest districts; and improve livelihoods of forest- on the foreshore of embankments affected by land into grazing fields and collecting fuel dependent communities by generating the 2007 cyclone Sidr substantially broke the wood are considered major reasons for rapid alternative activities. The fund will also storm surge velocity, reducing damages and deforestation. support innovative studies to improve forest losses. management in Bangladesh. Coordinated action is needed to counter Deforestation is also a major challenge in the deforestation trends. Planting in coastal Forestation will go a long way to ensure that hilly areas of Bangladesh, contributing – along zones protects against storm surges, while Bangladeshis are safer from the fury of future with heavy rainfall - to serious landslides. afforestation in hilly areas improves soil cyclones, storms and avoiding landslides. During the 2007 landslide in Bangladesh’s stability, thus reducing the risk of landslides Planting trees and managing forests have second-largest city, Chittagong, deforestation and erosion. The Bangladesh Climate Change become matters of survival for all climate aggravated the impact, causing nearly 900,000 Resilience Fund has allocated US$ 25 million vulnerable countries. BCCRF benefits from the generous financial support of the United Kingdom, European Government of the People’s Union, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and technical support of the World Bank Republic of Bangladesh Email: bccrf@worldbank.org www.worldbank.org.bd/bccrf