The experts came up with the suggestion while addressing a policy dialogue on ‘Ecosystem based Approaches to Adaptation (EbA) to Climate Change Effects’ at the conference room of Department of Fisheries (DoF) in the city.
Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) in collaboration with DoF organished the programme under a project titled ‘Ecosystem based Approaches to Adaptation (EbA)’.
With financial support of BMUB (German Government) the research project is running in 12 countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, China, Kenya, Mali, South Africa and Uganda for a period from 2015 to 2019.
The objective of the project is to assess the evidence of EbA effectiveness, find out the gaps and the ways to address the national and international policy and planning process to integrate EbA in the policies.
EbA is mainly using nature, ecosystem services and natural resources and land management principles to help people to adapt adverse impact of climate change.
Two researchers- senior fellow of BCAS Md Liaquat Ali and professor of Department of Fisheries of Dhaka University Monirul Islam- conducted an assessment on Bangladesh’s probability and prospect regarding EbA investigating its policies and strategies.
Prof Monirul Islam said “Bangladesh is doing well in climate change adaptation but the EbA is being ignored and unaddressed in our policies, even there is no specific mention of it in the government policies.”
“However, it has been reported by the planning cell of Department of Environment (DoE) that they are going to include EbA in the NEP 2013. But other national policies (Fisheries, Livestock, Forestry and Water Resource) have not incorporated climate change, climate mitigation and adaptation in their national policies”, he added.
The other experts said to make the earth safe for the people, biodiversity needs to be protected and Bangladesh should include the EbA in its policy immediately.
The speakers also urged to ensure inter-departments and sectors’ co-relation to make the process smoother.
Secretary of Fisheries and Livestock Ministry, Md Raisul Alam Mondal, addressed the programme as the chief guest while Dr Atiq Rahman, executive director of BCAS chaired it.