The Planning Commission, together with Asian Development Bank (ADB), launched the Bangladesh Climate and Disaster Risk Atlas on Thursday, which includes geospatial maps for risk screening and assessment.
It was unveiled at a webinar titled “Publication Launch of Bangladesh Climate and Disaster Risk Atlas,” read a ADB press release, adding that the atlas will be an effective tool for infrastructure planning and design, hazard mitigation, and climate and disaster-proofing.
The atlas reflects the priorities set out in ADB’s country partnership strategy (CPS) for Bangladesh (2021–2025) and Strategy 2030, as well as Bangladesh’s policies and strategies for environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
The two-volume publication – Hazards: Volume I and Exposures, Vulnerabilities, and Risks: Volume II – is intended to support design and implementation of projects and options for climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction and management in Bangladesh.
The atlas is a key output of the project “Establishing a Climate Risk Screening System for Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into National Development Budgeting Activities,” funded by ADB’s regional knowledge and support (capacity development) technical assistance Action on Climate Change in South Asia (2013–2018).
The project aims to further enhance the capacity of South Asia developing member countries, including Bangladesh, in managing the impacts of climate change, through effectively transitioning to a low-carbon and climate-resilient development path.
The initiative has strengthened screening of investment projects against climate risks and boosted capacity to develop and implement climate change strategies and action plans.
The ADB CPS for 2021-2025 has prioritised enhanced support for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and disaster risk management to address the country’s high vulnerability to climate events and other natural hazards, in line with the Paris Agreement.
The CPS further mentions that a holistic approach to integrate climate change will be applied to all operations, while expanding programs to directly address climate change impacts through integrated management of water, river, and coastal areas.
Present at the event, Planning Minister MA Mannan said, “We are doing well regarding disaster management, but we have to do better. The ADB is a good friend of ours and we look forward to more assistance from them.”
Nurun Nahar, joint chief of the Programming Division under the Planning Commission, said. “The Bangladesh Climate and Disaster Risk Atlas will be useful for policy makers, general people and other concerned bodies as well.”
Edimon Ginting, country director at the ADB Bangladesh Resident Mission said, “The Atlas is the excellence knowledge product, and knowledge is the weapon to fight against the climate. ADB is a long term development partnership and always ready to work with Bangladesh.”
State Minister of Planning Shamsul Alam; ADB’s Vice President (Operations 1) Shixin Chen; Director General for ADB’s South Asia Department Kenichi Yokoyama; Secretary, Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Md. Kamrul Hasan ndc; Deputy Director General for ADB’s South Asia Department Manmohan Parkash; and Liping Zheng, Advisor, office of the Director General for ADB’s South Asia Department attended the webinar among others.
