In cooperation with the Research and Evaluation Division of BRAC, Copenhagen Consensus Center organized roundtable discussions with an aim to figure out smarter solutions to the most problematic issues facing Bangladesh.

1. Climate Change
Research Ideas
Dhaka
May 31, 2015

2. Bangladesh Priorities
WORKING WITH 30-50 economists including Nobel Laureates, 100+
sector experts engaging major development organizations, NGOs,
government, businesses, youths, rural and urban Bangladeshis to
identify, analyze and prioritize interventions that will deliver greater
benefit per taka spent, helping move Bangladesh towards Vision 2021
and a more prosperous long term future.

3. In cooperation with the Research
and Evaluation Division of BRAC,
Copenhagen Consensus Center
organized roundtable discussions
with an aim to figure out smarter
solutions to the most problematic
issues facing Bangladesh.
These roundtables are
one of several sources
for research ideas.
Sourcing ideas and solutions
Smarter solutions for Bangladesh
Complete set of papers
on 30-50 solutions
PRIORITIZATION
Government NGOs
Academia Pvt sector
Think tanks
Development
organizations
Eminent Panel
Assessment
Government and
donor seminars
Rural polls
Newspaper polls
among readers
Youth forums
across the country
Private sector
meetings
Social, economic and
environmental benefit-cost
research by top Bangladeshi,
and international economists
Extensive peer review by sector
experts and academics
100+ ideas on
policies & investments
20162015 Continuous
engagement with
the public via
electronic, print
and social media
Working with
civil society,
government and
sector experts
Widely
advocating
results of
prioritization
exercises
OUTREACH

4. Research Ideas

5. Climate Change;
(1 of 8)
• Phase out fossil fuel subsidies.
• Increase use of renewable energy such as solar, wind
and hydro power.
• Increase use of 'off grid' solar for remote areas.
• Educate school-going children about climate change
and its effects.
• Encourage use of solar power in irrigation.
• Conserve fresh water from rainfall and prevent its loss
occurring from surface runoff.
• Prevent over-exploitation of groundwater (especially in
irrigation activities).

6. Climate Change;
(2 of 8)
• Use the card system used for irrigation (in Barind area)
for conservation of ground water.
• Encourage farmers to use AWD as a water-saving
alternate irrigation method.
• Introduce rationing of irrigation water and charge fees
based on volume of water used.
• Increasing the height of aisles between farmlands by 6
inches to conserve 60-70% of rainwater.
• Small rivers can be cross dammed in suitable places to
store water for irrigation.
• Recharge sub-surface water level.

7. Climate Change;
(3 of 8)
• Provide alternative cash crops to coastal farmers to
discourage shrimp farming, which is increasing
salinity.
• Update Environment Policy of 1992.
• Research on migration from climate vulnerable areas
and impact on livelihood systems.
• Rainfall pattern and crop planting pattern should be
synchronized.
• Raising awareness regarding climate change mitigation
and carbon emissions.
• Community involvement in natural resource
management, particularly women.

8. Climate Change;
(4 of 8)
• Disaster management information dissemination in
Haor areas through radios and mobile phones.
• Tidal surge pillars for recording tides mileage.
• Improve water governance.
• Use of Teesta barrage to conserve water.
• Reducing social conflicts over water resource sharing.
• Digging canals and ponds for conserving water.
• Early investment to change thinking and traditional
dependency on fossil fuels.
• Enhance use of ‘Bangladesh Climate Change Trust
Fund’ and ‘Bangladesh Climate Change Resilient Fund’
to support forestry sub-sector

9. Climate Change;
(5 of 8)
• Project prioritized actions in annual, three years, five
years and long term budget framework to demonstrate
demands for climate budget.
• Enhance climate change adaptation financing through
the Green Climate Fund.
• Strengthen national early warning systems regarding
cyclones, storm surge and floods for more accurate
forecasts.
• Repair and rehabilitate river embankments and
drainage systems.
• Mainstreaming climate change adaptation into annual
development plan projects.

10. Climate Change;
(6 of 8)
• Prioritize building cyclone shelters across coastal zones,
based on population density.
• Implementation of Gender Action Plan on Climate in
collaboration with relevant ministries.
• Implement a major nationwide program of social
forestry and coastal ‘greenbelts’.
• Enhance understanding on low carbon development
targeting officials at both national and local level.
• Large RMG and textile manufacturers can tap into
multilateral expertise and funding to switch to cost-
effective production.

11. Climate Change;
(7 of 8)
• Identify an anchor institution for improvement in
coordination and communication among different
institutions working towards climate change
mitigation.
• Increase investment in research and innovation, for
development of salinity and flood tolerant variety of
rice and vegetables.
• Reduce greenhouse gases from manufacturing
industries such as cement and steel rerolling.
• Provide incentives to reduce emissions in the dairy
sector.
• BCCSAP revised, evaluated and prioritized to establish
synergy with strategic decisions.

12. Climate Change;
(8 of 8)
• Behavior change communication initiatives alongside
non-pecuniary means to encourage energy
conservation.
• Formulation of the Bangladesh Delta Plan-2100 for
combating the effects of climate change.
• Create incentives for design, implementation and
maintenance of disaster risk reduction investments at
local level.
• Explore women’s involvement and potential in climate
change mitigation.
• Investment in the up-gradation of current institutional
setup to utilize the whole-of-government approach for
climate change readiness.

13. Full List of Attendees and
Interviewees
Moyen Uddin Ahmed, Sr. Manager, BRAC DECC.
Shrabana Datta, Sr. Researcher, Mesovision
Consultancy Ltd.
Dr. Md. Abdur Rashid, Chief Scientific Officer & Head,
BRRI.
Md. Quamrul Islam, Director, VERC.
Dr. Sujit K. Bala, Professor, BUET.
Dr. Nepal C. Dey, Sr. Research Fellow, BRAC RED.
Ratnajit Saha, Sr. Research Associate, BRAC RED.
Dr. Mahfuzul Haque, Adjunct Faculty, University of
Dhaka.
Ina F. Islam, Deputy Director, ICCCAD, IUB.
Shabel Firuz, Country Director, Islamic Relief.
Mahfuzar Rahman, Program Head, BRAC RED.
Mizanur Rahman, Consultant, Drinkwell.
Md. Reaz Uddin Khan, Lecturer, C3ER, BRAC
University.