1. Why did Bangladesh choose to be a partner country in the NDC Action Project? What do you hope to achieve?
The adaptation component of the project will help to develop low-cost Climate Resilient Housing (CRH) in the coastal zone of Bangladesh. Low-cost housing will help coastal communities adapt to climatic hazards and disasters. Solar home systems and rain harvest facilities are embedded in a CRH that will help to have clean electricity in those homes, and safe drinking water in lean periods. It will also help to achieve the targets of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of Bangladesh.
The mitigation component of the project will help to mainstream Renewable Energy (solar energy) in the Economic Zones of the country, aligned with our updated NDC.
2. How is the NDC Action project positioned in Bangladesh, what specific role does it play in relation to other national or international climate projects?
NDC Action is a key project working towards achieving the targets of the NDC of the country. Our government has considered it a pioneer project to address the housing crisis in the coastal zone and to mainstream solar energy in the economic zones. The secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is chairing the steering committee of the project. The project plays an important role to sensitize NDC among different agencies of Government of Bangladesh.
3. What is the key strategic value-added of the project and what do you see at the main ‘impact pathways’?
The Government owns this project. The secretary has declared in the recent Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting that the outcome of the project will be government properties. After a successful piloting of the CRHs, there is a high chance that the Government of Bangladesh, as well donor agencies will come forward to replicate the model in different parts of the coastal zone.
4. Has the project’s role and contribution evolved since your Gov. agreed to join this work? If so, how?
Yes, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the counterpart of the project. The Secretary of the MoEFCC is the Chairperson of the PSC of the project that indicates the government's ownership of the project.
5. Could you tell us about a specific project in one of your priority sectors that you think will make a difference, and why?
I think climate resilience housing (CRH) will make a difference in the coastal zone. A CRH will will provide a home for a family in normal weather conditions but will also serve as a mini-cyclone centre during a cyclonic event. Refuge arrangement during the cyclone is a life saving option. After a successful demonstration, a CRH could be replicated in other parts of the coastal zone of the country.
6. What opportunities do you see for the government of Bangladesh plan to integrate its population of 1.2 million refugees into national climate change policy and planning?
The Government of Bangladesh is taking care of about 1.2 million Rohingya people who were forcibly migrated to Bangladesh from Myanmar. The Rohingya people are living in different camps in Bangladesh. In order to provide safe housing, the government has built a residential camp area in Bhashanchar. Adequate cyclone shelter centres have been built in the area so that migrated people may take refuge during cyclonic events.
7. Does the government have any plan for the domestic refugees as well as the internationally displaced people?
The government is implementing the “Khurushkul Special Ashrayan Project” launched in 2014-15, which is one of the world’s biggest housing projects for climate refugees. Under this project, 139 five-storied buildings with modern facilities have been set to be constructed in Cox’s Bazar, with a capacity to rehabilitate 4,409 climate refugee families. To date, 20 buildings have been constructed and a total of 640 climate victim families have been allotted a 406 sq. ft. flat each in its first phase. If we provide low-cost housing to climate affected people in the coastal zone, it will reduce internal migration.
