Local Government are getting ready to combat climate change in coastal Bangladesh

The southwest coastal region is one of the climate vulnerable area of the country. To reduce vulnerability of community, several NGOs along with government institutes are working since last 9 years specially after cyclone AILA. But after long time of implement of several program, it has been identified that the local government institute Union Parishads(UP)have to play important role to sustain the development initiatives and infrastructure. To increase capacity of local Union Parishad to development a climate adaptive plan of UPs and sustain the development what has been done, LEDARS is working with 2 UPs as pilot basis. The Burigoalini and Gabura Union Pasrishad in Shyamnagar upazila under Satkhira district, are those two who are working together. An agreement has been signed between 2 UPs, Upazila Parishad, Upazila Nirbahi Officer(UNO) and LEDARS. Under the initiatives, LEDARS is assisting to UPs to development village Local Adaptation Plan of Action (LAPA). The 2 UPs organized 18 ward meetings in April and May 2018. Details are bellow.

The UPs organized village meeting and development a village plan. Then the plan has been verified/validated by local elites, community leaders and elected representatives of concern UP. Then the complete plan has been shared with village people organized another word meeting. In Ward meeting, people discussed what are the climate change risk and hazards and what should to be done to mitigate climate change risk. Local community, elite person, businessmen, teacherand other people participated in the ward meetings. After getting feedback from community people, the village and ward plan has been finalized. Now the UPs are taking initiatives to declare the total Union plan in an open public meeting.  Chairman of concern Ups present all the ward meeting. As climate change focus organization, LEDARS is helping2 UPs under the project “Strengthening Livelihood Security of Climate Change” funded by BROT.