Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to sea level rise, flooding, and cyclones, leading the government to establish early adaptation frameworks like the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP). While the country has created dedicated institutions and funds, such as the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF), adaptation efforts have predominantly focused on large-scale infrastructure in coastal urban areas, often neglecting sectors like livestock and regions prone to drought. Despite being a major recipient of international climate finance, disbursement remains fragmented, and there is a significant gap between planned budgets and actual leveraged funds.

• Bangladesh faces severe climate risks including rising sea levels, which could reach 27 cm by 2050, and increased frequency of storm surges and saline intrusion into aquifers and rivers.
• The country's vulnerability is driven by high dependency on an agricultural sector that employs nearly half the population and the fact that approximately 49.5% of the population lives in multi-dimensional poverty as of 2013.
• Bangladesh has established a comprehensive institutional framework for climate governance, including the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) as the lead agency and the creation of climate change cells within every ministry since 2010 to facilitate mainstreaming.
• The Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) and the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) serve as the primary national planning documents for adaptation.
• Adaptation funding is primarily managed through the government-funded Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) and the donor-funded Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF).
• There is a heavy bias toward physical infrastructure in adaptation spending; for example, 44.24% of BCCTF funding went to infrastructure projects, while only 1.93% was allocated to capacity building and institutional strengthening.
• Certain vulnerable sectors remain neglected in adaptation planning, specifically the livestock sector, where milk production is projected to decrease by 5% by the 2050s due to heat stress.
• Bangladesh is a top global recipient of adaptation finance from dedicated multilateral funds, ranking third globally for approved funding of US$134.5 million.
• Despite high levels of aid, there is a significant funding gap; the government leveraged only slightly over US$1 billion for the BCCSAP, far below the estimated US$5 billion required for the 2009-2013 period.
• Climate mainstreaming in sectoral policies is inconsistent; while the National Agricultural Policy (2010) integrates climate risks, the National Fisheries Policy (1988) and National Livestock Development Policy (2007) do not.

APA

Zamudio, A. N., & Parry, J.-E. (2016). Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in Bangladesh. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/idl-55862-bangladesh.pdf

Chicago

Zamudio, Alicia Natalia, and Jo-Ellen Parry. Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in Bangladesh. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2016. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/idl-55862-bangladesh.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Zamudio |first1=Alicia Natalia |last2=Parry |first2=Jo-Ellen |title=Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in Bangladesh |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2016 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/idl-55862-bangladesh.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{zamudio2016review, author = {Zamudio, Alicia Natalia and Parry, Jo-Ellen}, title = {{Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in Bangladesh}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2016}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/idl-55862-bangladesh.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }