Bangladesh starts five-day programme to build climate finance proposal capacity

Bangladesh has begun a five-day training programme aimed at strengthening the country's capacity to develop investment-ready climate projects and secure financing from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

The Climate Finance Leadership Incubation Lab began on Sunday at BRAC CDM in Rajendrapur, Gazipur, and will run through Aug. 13.

The programme is designed as a mentor-guided exercise in preparing GCF Project Concept Notes. Each of the participants is expected to develop a concept note based on an initial project idea, foundational training and intensive mentoring.

The International Climate Finance Cell of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) under the Ministry of Finance is organising the programme with financial and technical support from the Asian Development Bank.

About 40 representatives from 23 organisations are taking part, representing six broad institutional sectors: government, international and development organisations, private sector and banking, academia and research, civil society and media.

Participants include officials and professionals working in economic relations, disaster management, environment and climate change, agriculture, fisheries, livestock, local government infrastructure, finance and water modelling, among other fields.

AKM Sohel, Additional Secretary and UN Wing Chief at the ERD, inaugurated the programme, describing it as the first such initiative in Bangladesh specifically focused on developing leaders capable of preparing proposals to access GCF financing.

Sohel said the incubation lab differed from previous training programmes because participants would not only learn about climate finance but would work through the actual process of preparing project proposals.

The programme aims to accelerate climate finance mobilisation by developing strategic and investment-ready climate projects and translating climate-related knowledge and skills into practical project concepts.

On the opening day, Dr Shah Abdul Saadi, Joint Secretary at the ERD, led sessions covering the GCF Concept Note template, the structure of the Climate Finance Leadership Incubation Lab, rules of engagement and Sections A to F of the GCF template.

Participants were also introduced to the scoring criteria used by the Independent Technical Advisory Panel (iTAP). AKM Sohel, Shah Abdul Saadi and GCF Liaison Officer Juel Mahmud served as mentors for the opening session.

Subsequent sessions will cover climate problems and solutions, climate impacts and sustainability, financing structures, country ownership, safeguards, risks, executive summaries and basic proposal data.

On the final day, participants will present their GCF Concept Notes in five-minute pitches and receive feedback and assessments from mentors.

The programme plans to recognise three Diamond, three Gold and four Silver GCF Concept Notes.