Govt approves 29 new projects to combat climate change

The government has approved 29 new projects under the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) to address the growing threats posed by climate change.

The approval was granted at the 62nd meeting of the Trustee Board, held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Thursday.

Chaired by Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the meeting was attended, among others, by Lieutenant General (retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Adviser to the Ministries of Home and Agriculture; Sharmin S. Murshid, Adviser to the Ministries of Women and Children, and Social Welfare; Cabinet Secretary Dr Sheikh Abdur Rashid; Secretary of Environment Dr Farhina Ahmed; and Secretary of Finance Dr Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder, among other high-ranking officials.

These new projects have been designed to strengthen climate resilience, conserve the environment, and promote sustainable agricultural and urban development.

Key initiatives include research on carbon emissions and climate-resilient agriculture in Bangladesh's haor wetlands, as well as the development of eco-friendly technologies to enhance dairy production.

The impact of climate change on plant phenology in four ecological hotspots will also be studied.

Besides, the projects will focus on improving onion seed storage and production, adopting climate-smart agricultural technologies in char, haor, and coastal regions, and restoring water bodies in major urban centres like Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Sylhet.

Afforestation along five canals in Narayanganj and conservation efforts in Gazipur's Lobonadaha Canal are also planned.

To ensure access to clean drinking water in remote regions, solar-powered deep tube wells will be installed in the hill tracts of Rangamati, while safe drinking water initiatives will be introduced for affected communities in Bandarban.

Other notable projects include subsidised jute bags as an alternative to plastic, expansion of palm and mangrove plantations, biodiversity conservation, and research on antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The projects will be implemented by various government agencies and research institutions, including the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board, the Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Chittagong, the Department of Public Health Engineering, the Bangladesh Agricultural University, the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, and the Department of Environment, among others.

Speaking at the meeting, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasised the need for a coordinated approach to tackling climate change. She expressed optimism that these projects would not only drive sustainable development but also ensure significant progress in environmental conservation and biodiversity protection.