Policy Brief | Beyond Economic Losses: Strengthening Bangladesh’s National Mechanism on Loss and Damage through NELD Evidence

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 crops and lost income. However, climate hazards inflict severe Non-Economic Loss and Damage (NELD) that affects individual wellbeing, cultural heritage, social cohesion, and ecosystem health. Because NELD forms the foundation of community resilience and adaptive capacity, its exclusion leaves a major share of climate impacts invisible. Integrating community-generated NELD evidence into the NMLD is essential to establish an equitable, climate-just, and comprehensive national L&D architecture.