The Adaptation Fund Board has approved the Green, Resilient, and Adaptive CHT Economy (GRACE) – Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCALplus) project, a significant step forward in climate adaptation in Bangladesh.
The project will use USD 10 million funding to help the most vulnerable hill communities in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh, become more resilient to climate change, said the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
“We deeply appreciate the approval of the Adaptation Fund’s USD 10 million investment, which is evidence of Bangladesh's national leadership in climate adaptation," said CHT Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma.
He said the GRACE project will enable local governments and empower CHT dwellers for a resilient future founded on inclusive governance and Nature-based Solutions aligned with SDGs in CHT.
The GRACE project marks a pivotal chapter for the Chattogram Hill Tracts—an ecologically rich yet acutely vulnerable region of Bangladesh, said Environment, Forests and Climate Change; and Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
"This transformative initiative opens the door to meaningful investment in climate resilience while upholding the dignity, rights, and well-being of the ethnic minorities inhabiting this area," she said.
The beautiful landscape of CHT in Bangladesh is a biodiversity hotspot, providing essential ecosystem services for economic development, environmental protection, and human wellbeing, and is home to diverse tribal communities, said Kathmandu-based international organisation ICIMOD.
However, it said, the region was identified as one of the most ‘climate stressed' areas of the country, in Bangladesh’s recent National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
CHT also remains among the most underserved areas of the country and lacks livelihood options. Water sources such as springs are drying up, flash floods and landslides are increasing, and livelihoods are becoming increasingly unstable, especially for women and youth.
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“ICIMOD's mission is to provide science-based, locally led solutions to mountain communities, which is exemplified by the GRACE initiative. In collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, we are dedicated to developing climate resilience that empowers the community and safeguards ecosystems in CHT, Bangladesh," said Director General of ICIMOD Dr Pema Gyamtsho.
The GRACE project will provide extensive nature-based solutions and community-driven climate adaptation strategies throughout Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Bandarban districts.
The project will help to establish climate-resilient infrastructure, improve retention ponds, restore springs and groundwater recharge systems in the water-scarce upazilas (sub-district units).
The initiative will promote sustainable land utilisation by applying climate-resilient agriculture methods suited to the region’s unique topography.
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GRACE will also improve the capacity of local governments, women and youth to actively participate in climate-resilient development, disaster risk mitigation, and adaptation planning.
To ensure that climate finance is distributed effectively and fairly at the local level, the interventions will be implemented through the ‘Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility’ (LoCAL) mechanism, providing performance-based climate resilience grants.
The GRACE project will directly supported 25 upazilas during its first phase, later expanding to cover the remaining 10 upazilas of the CHT.
This project will make use of performance-based climate resilience subsidies managed through government frameworks inspired by the LoCAL concept.
This approach will ensure a fair distribution of resources, promote transparency, and support continuous oversight from institutions.
The GRACE project is spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Bangladesh, as the official Designated Authority (DA) for the Adaptation Fund.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is the regional implementing entity.
The MoEFCC, in coordination with ICIMOD, ensured that the GRACE project is aligned with Bangladesh’s priorities and strategies for the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT).
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GRACE will facilitate the execution of Bangladesh’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) via Nature-based Solutions and inclusive community-driven adaptation initiatives.