Cities, municipals must allocate 10% of ADP for climate resilience: Stakeholders

City corporations and municipalities nationwide must allocate at least 10% of their annual development program (ADP) budget to green and climate-resilient projects to address climate change challenges, stakeholders said today (19 May).

They presented the recommendation at a workshop on "Guidelines for Planning, Financing, and Implementing Green and Climate Resilient Investment Projects in Urban and Local Government Institutions" held at a city hotel.

Professor Mobasser Monem of Dhaka University's Public Administration Department said, "If the proposal to make 10% of the total ADP allocation mandatory for climate resilience is accepted, local government institutions will be able to play an effective role in addressing climate impacts."

Md Tazul Islam, minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, stressed the need for multifaceted and collective efforts to address the green and climate crisis. "In this case, the local government system should also become self-sufficient and increase capacity," he said.

According to the Guidelines for Allocation and Utilisation of Development Assistance under ADP for City Corporations (2023), the proposed maximum allocations are 35% for construction and maintenance of roads and culverts, 25% for drainage, 40% for public health and waste management, and 15% for water supply and sanitation.

Besides, 20% allocation to other fields including education, sports, and culture. 

Instead, currently, only 5% of the total municipal development assistance allocation is directed toward green and climate-resilient initiatives. 15% is allocated to public health, and the rest to potable water and sanitation, construction of markets and bus terminals, and road and infrastructure development.

Atiqul Islam, mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, expressed concerns about the city's sewerage system and the declining effectiveness of Wasa. 

He said, "Until the complete sewerage line is finished in Dhaka, households should be required by law to install sewage treatment plants." 

He also said, "Wasa's sewage line breaks and leaks on the way to the Dasherhat Sewage Plant, causing environmental pollution." 

He advocated for extended producer responsibility (EPR) and said, "Companies selling products in plastic bottles should be responsible for the environmental pollution caused by their products."

Mayor Atiq said, "The climate disaster is happening because of the developed world. As a result, climate migrants are moving to the cities from villages. We must collect funds from the developed nations for their food, nutrition, and security."

Mohammad Ibrahim, secretary of the Local Government Division, highlighted the issue of climate migration, stating, "Due to climate change, various slums and low-income societies are being created in all urban areas, including Dhaka. It is not possible to provide nutrition and health protection to these huge numbers of climate migrants. 

The local government ministry is working with the World Bank to address this problem, he added.