Executive Summary Bangladesh continues to demonstrate global leadership in climate change adaptation and Loss and Damage (L&D) governance. As the country advances its National Framework on Loss and Damage (NFLD) and proposed National Mechanism on Loss and Damage (NMLD), national systems face a crucial transition. Conventional disaster and climate assessments primarily quantify tangible economic losses, such as ruined infrastructure, destroyed …

This policy brief draws lessons from the Governance for Climate Resilience (G4CR) initiative in coastal Bangladesh , showing that nature-based solutions work best when combined with inclusive governance and locally led adaptation. Evidence from Munshiganj Union, Shyamnagar highlights how restoring canals as climate-resilience commons can improve freshwater access, support agriculture, revive ecosystems, and strengthen community resilience while addressing unequal power …

In this policy brief, we critically examine the ‘double burden’ for countries that are highly vulnerable to and affected by climate change impacts while experiencing political instability, fragility, or conflict. Vulnerabilities compound and effective responses are constrained in these states, which receive disproportionately low and insufficient support through climate finance and tend to be forgotten in climate action. The global …

This policy outlines the necessity and strategy for systematically integrating Locally-Led Adaptation (LLA) principles into the measurable indicators of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), adopted as the “UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience.” The GGA aims to bolster adaptive capacity and resilience globally, particularly for vulnerable developing nations. However, its effectiveness hinges on operationalizing its broad thematic and functional …

COP29 highlighted persistent gaps in youth participation, climate finance access, and just transition policies, despite growing advocacy for stronger representation. While discussions acknowledged the importance of youth in climate action, systemic barriers such as restrictive funding eligibility, lack of direct financial access, and weak enforcement of just transition commitments continued to limit their impact. Climate finance pledges remained insufficient, with …

This policy brief captures the key findings from Loss and Damage Policy Labs (LDPLs), a series of local and multi-level national policy dialogues held in Bangladesh in 2024. The LDPLs involved diverse stakeholders seeking to address climate-induced loss and damage (L&D) in Bangladesh, by fostering community-driven approaches and connecting local needs with the national policy landscape. The brief emphasizes local …

The policy brief demonstrates how incorporating Loss and Damage (L&D) into the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) being discussed currently at COP 29 will address not only the equity gap for developing countries, but also provide a well-rounded and well-defined climate finance landscape. By anchoring L&D as a distinct component within the NCQG, developing countries can secure finances to respond …

Bangladesh has been striving for years to shift its narrative from being climate vulnerability to resilience. Over the years, it has managed to build itself as one of the climate-resilient countries, despite the geographical vulnerability, through building efficient early warning systems, community-led disaster management, and women’s leadership in resilience efforts. However, communities in Bangladesh continue to face existential crisis due …

Adverse impacts induced by climate change is already occurring and manifesting in the form of losses and damages which are expected to accelerate as climate change worsens and tipping points in eccological systems are reached. Failure to address climate-driven loss can trap populations in a state of vulnerability. Such kinds of losses and damages can be either economic or non-economic …

Although highly climate vulnerable, Bangladesh in South Asia is known as a pioneer of climate change adaptation. Recent national policies have recognised the vital importance of community-based and locally led adaptation (LLA). Where LLA interventions have been used by international and national nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), they have proven to be both effective and widely accepted by local communities. Yet major …