Country investment plan

Country Investment Plan for the Environment, Forestry and Climate Change 2016

The Ministry of Environment and Forests with technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and financial support from the United States Agency for International Development is developing a Country Investment Plan on Environment, Forestry and Climate Change. The Country Investment Plan is a 5-year strategic framework that identifies priority areas for investment in the EFCC sectors, and estimates the financing needs for its implementation. It is structured in four priority areas of investment (pillars) that have been elaborated through an extensive and inclusive consultation process.

Pillar 1: Sustainable Development and Management of Natural Resources

Firewood is still a signiďŹ cant source of energy for cooking in rural areas. Sustainable forest management practices can reduce the impact, while investment in more efďŹ cient stoves, and renewable energy sources, such as biogas will reduce this as a threat to forest resources

Photography by Sourav Mahmud

Photography by Sourav Mahmud

Photography by Sourav Mahmud

The Capped Leaf Monkey or Mukhpora Hanuman– is an endangered species‌ as is the Lesser Adjutant Stork - locally known as Madan Tak. The threats to these species may come from hunting or loss of habitat associated with development

Photography by Mohammad Asad

Photography by Monirul Islam Manik

Management of watersheds, with investment in reafforestation programmes, can help to provide year round drinking water and avoid landslides in hilly areas (Thanchi, Bandarban)

Photography by Monirul Islam Manik

Photography by Md Amanat Ullah

Loss of forest cover can lead to land degradation – loss of soil fertility, soil erosion, loss of soil moisture. Areas became more prone to drought Photography by Md Amanat Ullah

Programme are needed to combat land degradation: reforestation, conservation agriculture and an emphasis on integrated farming systems can help Photography by Sourav Mahmud

Loss of land to river erosion is one of the biggest fears for the rural population in Bangladesh—while there is no easy solution, some mitigation measures are possible, planned resettlement and management of the lands affected, by local government and the Department of Agricultural Extension can help.

Photography by Khorshed Alam Rinku

Photography by Monirul Islam Manik

Photography by Monirul Islam Manik

Pillar 2: Environmental Pollution Management

A river boat accident in 09 December 2014 led to the release of up to 350,000 litres of furnace oil in an environmentally sensitive area of the Sundarbans in SW Bangladesh – although initial cleanup efforts were successful it is not clear whether this incident will have long term impact on the environment Photography by The Daily Star

Photography by Mohammad Asad

According to WHO, Dhaka has one of the highest levels of air pollution in the world. The location of polluting industries near the city, and the levels of trafďŹ c are both contributing factors.

This can be combatted through clean technologies, and better (more consistent) implementation of environmental regulations

Photography by Mohammad Asad

Photography by Khorshed Alam Rinku

Photography by Sourav Mahmud

Photography by Mohammad Asad

Effluent Treatment Plants are required by law, as Bangladesh embraces economic development. But without effective inspection and testing, factory owners may choose not to pay the costs of running the plants.This may be seen in the poor water quality of many of the rivers around Dhaka

Pillar 3: Adaptation, Mitigation and Resilience to Climate Change

Photography by The Daily Star

On May 21st 2016, cyclonic storm Roanu hit South Eastern parts of Bangladesh near the port city of Chittagong. 25 people were killed, thousands of houses were destroyed and agricultural lands were damaged. Bangladesh needs to invest in disaster risk reduction, adaptation to climate change and mitigation (to meet its National Determined Contribution to reducing emissions)

Photography by The Daily Star

Photography by The Daily Star

Pillar 4: Environmental Governance, Gender & Human and Institutional Capacity Development

To mitigate over-exploitation of the Sundarbans, farmers are supported to improve their agricultural practices, manage soil and improve ďŹ sh farming techniques. The communities play a role in protecting the Sundarbans from environmental damage (USAID 2015)

Photography by David Drag/RYOT

Co–management is the key to sustainable conservation of the natural resources. Governance begins on the ground with people like Mosammat Renu Begum, leader of the Female Community Patrol Group (Bagmara Baligaon Mohila Bon Toholdol) in Lawachara, Sreemongol.

“I have been guarding this forest with my team for last 12 years… I am doing this to keep the forest intact for our future generations. If there are no forests here, no tourists will come and the business will go down. That is bad for us,” she says (USAID, CREL 2015)

Photography by Wahid Adnan/USAID/Drik

Drainage congestion is both an urban and a rural concern. In the South-West, waterlogging is caused by monsoon rainfall, but the failure of drainage is drown to siltation of canals, and human activities such as construction of roads, other infrastructures, houses and factories. Locally- coordinated planning and removal of unplanned structures is urgently needed

Photography by Monirul Islam Manik

Uncontrolled development and a failure of planning has led to construction in some of the wetlands surrounding Dhaka; this failure of environmental governance may increase long term risks of flooding in the city

Photography by Sourov Mahmud

Environmentally protected areas can bring in signiďŹ cant income from ecotourism and other sustainable management activities – this site in Medha Kachapia National Park is said to generate up to BDT 60 crore annually in direct and indirect income

Photography by Marco Boscolo

This booklet has been produced under the ‘Strengthening the Environment, Forestry and Climate Change Capacities of the Ministry of Environment and Forests and its Agencies’ project, implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forests with technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and financial support from the United States Agency for International Development

Cover photo by Khorshed Alam Rinku