The ICCCAD Youth Fellowship is a flagship initiative under the project “Capacity Strengthening of Multi-Actors to Limit Climate Change Impacts and Enhance Resilience (CAP-RES),” implemented by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) in partnership with Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), and supported by the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka. The fellowship empowers young people across Bangladesh by equipping them with practical skills, field-based knowledge, and leadership capacity to engage in meaningful climate action.
The 2025 cohort includes thirty youth fellows, selected through a competitive and inclusive process. Their journey began with a five-day Residential Workshop, held from February 22 to 26, 2025, at the CCDB Climate Centre in Gazipur. During the residential, fellows explored key topics in climate science, adaptation strategies, leadership, and policy processes. It also created space for collaboration, peer learning, and the development of initial ideas for community engagement.
The next major milestone in the fellowship was the Field Visit to Cox’s Bazar, held from July 15 to 19, 2025. This visit was designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, allowing fellows to engage directly with climate-affected communities, observe locally led adaptation in action, and reflect on climate challenges from a grounded, real-world perspective.
Cox’s Bazar is widely known for its scenic coastline, but behind that beauty lies a harsh reality. The district faces serious climate risks, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion, plastic pollution, and extreme weather events. These conditions have disrupted livelihoods, displaced communities, and strained local resources. At the same time, the region is home to innovative, community-led adaptation efforts. Through this field visit, fellows gained firsthand insight into the lived realities of climate vulnerability and resilience, deepening their understanding of inclusive, community-driven responses to the climate crisis.
