The implementation of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) will help protect 1.1 million hectares of cropland from floods, thus raising rice production in the country.
Moreover, vulnerability of about 1.5 million climate refugees will come down, while tree coverage will increase at least 5.0 per cent.
In addition, the blue economy will be enriched and overall carbon emission will decrease once the plan is implemented.
Officials of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change made the observations at the final validation workshop on NAP, organised by the ministry at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Dhaka on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary of the ministry Farhina Ahmed said if the NAP is successfully implemented, about 1.1 million hectares of cropland will get protection from floods, tidal surge and sea-level rise as well as from salinity.
The plan will help increase rice production by 10.3 million tonnes per year and per capita nutrition from cattle and fisheries, she said.
About 30 million people in the city area will be benefited by the development of drainage management, while 10 per cent of the transportation costs will come down once the NAP is implemented.
Moreover, 15 per cent expenses in the treatment of mosquito- and water-borne diseases will be reduced, and the income of the city's marginalised population will increase 30 per cent, said the secretary.
Environment Minister Md Shahab Uddin said if the NAP is implemented, it will be easier to execute long-term coordinated adaptation activities in order to tackle climate change.
Proper strategies have been identified taking into account specific adaptation needs for Bangladesh, said the minister.
The plan is not merely a national report - it will highlight Bangladesh's position in climate adaptation on a global scale, the minister added.
Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Habibun Nahar, Senior Secretary of the water resources ministry Kabir Bin Anwar, Economic Relations Division Secretary Sharifa Khan, National Project Director of NAP Preparation Project Md Mizanul Hoque Chowdhury, and UNDP Bangladesh Residential Representative Stefan Liller, among others, participated in the event.
nsrafsanju@gmail.com
