IDCOL to seek GCF support for coastal afforestation

Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) is planning to mobilise US$ 80 million for enhancing the country's resilience of coastal ecosystem through afforestation.
Of the amount, $ 60 million will be sought from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), while the remaining $ 20 million will be co-financed by the government of Bangladesh.
This was revealed at a national stakeholder consultation workshop titled 'Climate resilient sustainable coastal forestry in Bangladesh and its influence on environment, society and gender' at a city hotel on Wednesday.
IDCOL, a state-run financing company, and Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) jointly organised the programme with the support of Brac University's Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER).
Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Habibun Nahar attended the programme as the chief guest.
Secretary to the MoEFCC Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of Forest Mohammed Shafiul Alam Chowdhury, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IDCOL Mahmood Malik, and Lead Forest Expert and Team Leader of C3ER Junaid Kabir Choudhury spoke at the workshop, among others.
Ms Habibun Nahar said the conservation of nature is highly important for the country's safeguard during different natural calamities like cyclones.
"We don't care much about the Sundarbans, which regularly protects us from natural disasters," she said, adding: "We talk about its protection during the crisis moment like recently-appeared cyclone Bulbul."
Mr. Junaid Kabir Choudhury briefed the participants about the proposed project. He said that involving local communities in coastal afforestation is crucial for achieving desired goal.
Mr. Shafiul Alam Chowdhury explained the role of the BFD in successful implementation of the projects for nature conservation and its countless achievements in maintaining and expanding forests in the country.
Unit Head of GCF at IDCOL M Mosleh Uddin explained the environment, social and gender issues in light of GCF funding modality and the objective of the workshop.
According to the concept note of the proposed project, coastal plantation ecosystems in Bangladesh provide socio-economic and ecological services in terms of life supporting, provisioning and regulating functions.
IDCOL is one of the two National Implementing Entities (NIE) of the GCF in Bangladesh.

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