84239 RF Bangladesh Climate Change Action Issue 2 Cl November 2012 Resilience Fund During the last season, I spent a large amount on diesel to irrigate my crops. Now with the solar HBPPyfatmerwtth a good harvest In Soha:gpur; Dhamral irrigation pump, the cost has reduced by almost half. - thanks to sol8r pump "The irrigation pump will run with solar have affected crop production severely. irrigation for their crops, even on the most power, we thought it was too good to be The situation only worsens without overcast days. The solar pumps enable ttue; but now this is a reality. With the solar electrical grid coverage. Irrigation needs an easy installation and transition from the pump installed, we are getting sufficient are always urgent: even a day without traditional systems. They have no moving water with lower monthly bills than we spent water could crack the land, damaging the parts, function without noise or pollution on buying diesel to run the generator", quality and yield of crops. Till now, farmers and require virtually no maintenance. said smallholder farmer Mamun, from the have been mostly dependent on expensive By lowering their usual diesel costs Sohagpur village in Dhamrai. and often scarce diesel fuel. The solar by almost half, the impact of solar pumps For farmers like Mamun, the subsidized pump technology is ideal for the country's is evident from the smiles of the farmers. solar photovoltaic (PV) panels provided by flat terrain which receives an abundance "This technology has attracted other Infrastructure Development Company Ltd. of sunshine. It is especially cost-effective farmers from the neighboring areas. They {IDCOL}, is like a dream come true. These in areas without electrical grid coverage, see that we are spending less and that our have replaced traditional electric or diesel additionally reducing the government's fuel work has become simp/8r; now they are run irrigation pumps and can draw up to subsidy for the agriculture sector. •During quite interested in accessing this system 400,000 liters of water daily, enough to the last season, I spent a large amount on too•, summarizes Farmer Hossain. irrigate 40 acres of land. diesel to irrigate my crops. Now with the Popularizing the use of solar pump Bangladeshi farmers are facing many solar irrigation pump, the cost has reduced technology is one of many initiatives of the challenges from climate change. Variations by armost half' states Islam, a farmer from Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience in rainfall patterns and extreme temperatures Sohagpur. The farmers are assured of Fund (BCCRF) to facilitate climate change adaptation and promote low-carbon increase the climate change resilience renewable energy; provides environmental, growth. The BCCRF will grant US$25 of the vulnerable agriculture sector and social, and financial benefits and enables million to install 1,500 solar irrigation strengthen national food security. The the sustainable development of even the pumps to improve farmers' livelihoods, technology encourages the use of clean, most remote pastures. INTERVIEW and accountability in its Development Partners execution, is a full member of to help implement our the Management Committee Strategy and Action Plan but is a non-voting member of for Climate Change. the Governing Council. This year the milestone achievement for the What are Bangladesh's key Government was to aspirations for enhancing make operational the financial support in Ute BCCRF Secretariat. The Climate Change negotiation Secretariat with active ABUL MAAL A. MUHITH (Conference of Parties 18, DR. HASAN MAHMUD, MP support of the World Bank Honorable Minister Doha)? Honorable Minister Ministry of Finance Ministry of Environment and is progressing well. The Bangladesh has successfully Forests process of recruitment Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh operationalized the BCCRF, an Government of the People's for effective management innovative financing mechanism Republic of Bangladesh of the Secretariat has What are your views on for channeling climate change started. governance of the BCCRF funds. We can therefore What are Ute main as its Governing Council achievements of the What are the priorities of demonstrate Bangladesh's member? BCCRF during 2012? the BCCRF in the coming readiness to receive climate years? TheBCCRF funds for adaptation and green The BCCRF has made governance mechanism growth. We would hope that significant progress during We expect the is strong and is aimed at in Doha, significant progress 2012. Ninety percent BCCRF to become the ensuringtrans~ncy is made in operationalizing of the funds have been main funding channel for and accountability. The the Green Climate Fund. We committed to six projects Development Partners' Bangladesh government would also like the focus of for enhancing climate climate change finances leads this well-coordinated the discussions to remain on resilience of the people in the future. In addition financing mechanism that adaptation, capacity building of Bangladesh. These to funding priority projects brings together climate and technology transfer. projects are helping to under our national change affected sectors Bangladesh has developed increase food security and strategy, we hope that across ministries. Its two- multiple projects in water, to enhance the ability to the BCCRF will contribute tier governance system agriculture, transport, shelter, cope with disasters. This towards building our consists of a Governing power, forestry, urban life, rural year, funding from both capacityfurthe~VVe Council: to provide development, pollution free new and old Development want Bangladesh to strategic direction and a industrial development and Partners increased by demonstrate to the world Management committee: related sectors in an overall more than 30 percent. that despite being one to provide technical strategic plan to live with The initial project of the most vulnerable advice. Both the council climate change mostly through for cyclone shelters countries to climate and committee members adaptation. Implementation approved last year is change, our institutions include representatives of of the planned activities need progressing well. We are are fully capable of both ministries, development huge resource injection. We hopeful that successful incorporating the impacts partners and civil society. need 'Fast Start Finance' and implementation of the of climate change in World Bank, responsible easy access to environment projects approved this policy making and in for ensuring fiduciary friendly and pollution mitigating year will attract further following a low carbon management, transparency technology. commitments from our development path. Community peopl& engaged in msintensnc11 and protection of lh& fonJst "The forest is an integral part of my life Community engagement, for forest conservation and only source of income. We exploited in the coastal and hilly areas, is critical to the it until we saw people killed in landslides sustainability of any afforestation project. in the neighboring areas. Gradually we became aware of the consequences Afforestation and forest conservation schoor, shares a content Rekha, from an of unplanned felling of trees. Now we are promising opportunities for adaptation alternative livelihood project in Pinijerkul, protect our forest alongside the Forest and mitigation efforts. Community Cox's Bazar. Most of the inhabitants of Department. I own 2 hectares of forest engagement, for forest conservation Pinijerkul have similar stories of change in land and they pay for its maintenance. I in the coastal and hilly areas, is critical their lives. They are now self-dependent have earned a good amount after the first to the sustainability of any afforestation forest -saviors, aware of the issues of soil felling", says a proud Sabbir, participant project. The Government of Bangladesh erosion, biodiversity and climate change. from social forestry initiative of the has a number of such successful forestJy The direct benefits to one of Government of Bangladesh, Ukhiarghat, projects. the communities involved in Forest Cox's Bazar. The participatory afforestation and Department's social forestry initiative are Forests are the primary buffer against reforestation project under the BCCRF impressive. An investment of US$4,800 cyclones, storms and surges for over is a timely initiative to complement the on 100 hectares, allocated to 50 members 16 million coastal people. Over the last Government's commitment towards returned US$16,900. After the final three decades, forests in Bangladesh forest conservation. The Bangladesh harvest, the participants will receive 45 have declined by 2.1 percent annually, Forest Department and Arannayk percent of the revenue, the Government due to deforestation, illegal logging and Foundation will jointly cover 17,000 45 percent and 10 percent will go to the harvesting, slash-and-burn agriculture, hectares of land and 1,672 km of road· Tree Farming Fund for future plantations. conversion into non-forestland for side plantation. Following a transparent "Without active community participation, settlement, farming, recreation and selection process, local communities will forest conservation is almost impossible. industries. With the likely increased adopt locally tried and tested nursery People must understand that the forest incidence and intensity of extreme and plantation techniques with improved provides ultimate safety and is a survival cyclonic events, efforts must focus on forest management practices. Alternative mechanism against natural calamities", reversing the decline in forests in order livelihoods will be introduced to conserve said Bipul Krishna Das, DMsional Forest to adequately safeguard people against the forests and reduce forest dependency. Officer, Cox's Bazar. threats induced by climate change. These resilience approaches are cost Yet without ensuring continuous effective, will provide multiple socio- investments in afforestation and economic and environmental co-benefits, reforestation, the retention of existing and enhance carbon stock. "I'm a widow forestlands and the stability of sand bar with two children. I had to depend on the island would be uncertain. Improved forest for a meager IMng. Then I received forest management must include training on homestead gardening and participation of forest-dependent am now a regular worker at the forest communities and provide them with department's nursery with a substantial alternative livelihoods to address the income, both of my children now go to challenges of Climate Change. and estimates the cost of adaptation to exposed to inundation depths above 3 avoid further damage caused by climate meters due to climate change. change. It also provides an analytical It notes that Bangladesh already framework for understanding adaptation has extensive infrastructure to protect to increased risks from climate-induced coastal residents from cyclones and tidal weather events. waves. However, to avert further damage The launch and dissemination of and loss from cyclonic storm surges, an this report were supported as part of additional US$2.4 billion will be required to the BCCRF's analytic activities. It was build climate-proof, critical infrastructure produced through a collaboration of the by 2050. For inland monsoon flooding, World Bank, the Institute of Water Modeling the cost of adaptation to offset additional (IWM), and the Center for Environmental inundation for the railways, road networks, and Geographic Information Services embankments and drainage infrastructure (CEGIS) in Bangladesh. The report is estimated at US$3.3 billion by 2050. estimates that due to climate change, Reflecting on the value of the report monsoon floods will affect an additional in Bangladesh, Dr. Zahirul Haque Khan, Honorable guests at the BDS report launching 2 million people by inundating new areas. Director IWM, states: "The report will For cyclonic storm surges, currently provide a basis for more research to The report 'The Cost of Adapting to 8 million people in the coastal area are assess the potential impacts of the Extreme Weather Events in a Changing vulnerable to inundation depths greater changing climate; as well as generate new Climate' sheds light on the potential than 3 meters and this number will knowledge on climate change projections. damage from extreme weather events increase to 13.5 million by 2050. Another It will benefit organizations dealing with and the costs of adapting to the changing 9 million people are expected to be climate change in Bangladesh". climate in Bangladesh. The study identifies vulnerable populations and infrastructure, To avert further damage and loss from cyclonic storm quantifies outstanding deficits in dealing surges, an additional US$2.4 billion will be required to with the current climate-related risks, build climate-proof, critical infrastructure by 2050. Community consultation during tha construction of multipurpose cyc;lona shaltar in Lakhsmipur, Patuakhali "I am very happy that such a well- participated during the planning phase of In total, 61 multipurpose cyclone shelters planned cyclone shelter is being built these shelters. are planned for construction under the BCCRF in our area. During Cyclone Aila we did "We were consulted and we shared in 5 districts: Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barguna, not have any shelter facilities. We were our views when the Engineer came to Satkhira and Khulna. The construction of 37 devastated. This shelter even has a plan the cyclone shelter. We demanded of these shelters has already started, and is provision for livestock; a great relief for usn, drinking water facilities. It is exciting to expected to be completed by June, 2013. says Shahjahan, Lakhsmipur, Patuakhali. see that our ideas for separate toilets for The construction of the remaining 24 shelters Lakhsmipur cyclone shelter is one of the women and a room for pregnant women will start from November, 2012. They will be cyclone shelters, accommodating up to are being incorporated in the shelter!" used as schools, government offices and 2,730 people, being built with resources exclaims Shirin Akhter, a school teacher community centers during the rest of the from the BCCRF. Local Communities from Kalirtabak cyclone shelter, Barguna. year to maximize their utility. BCCRF benefits from the generous financial support of the Australia, Denmark, European Union, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA and technical support of the World Bank Email: bccrfOworldbank.org 0 ~ Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh -.worldbank.org/bd/bccrf