The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) began efforts in 1965 to establish an early warning system for the residents of the coastal belt to cope with cyclonic winds and storm surges.  In the mid-1980’s a complementary disaster preparedness program was initiated to promote community participation in the construction and maintenance of cyclone shelters.  The official mandate of the BDRCS as stated in the Standing Orders for Cyclones, Floods and Famine is to complement the government’s efforts in case of emergency relief situations, emphasizing the development of disaster preparedness r

Bangladesh is a disaster prone country due to its geographic location, and climate change will enhance the country’s exposure to climate-related disasters, such as floods, droughts, tropical storms and cyclones. In 2004, the Government of Bangladesh, DFID, and UNDP, started implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Program (CDMP). The CDMP aims to achieve a paradigm shift in national disaster management from a conventional response-and-recovery approach to a more comprehensive risk-assessment-and-reduction approach.

The principal objective of this IUCN project is to create enabling conditions in Bangladesh for promoting adaptation to climate change and climate variability in national policies and plans and also at the local community level. This includes preparing a set of recommendations to integrate climate change adaptation into various national actions, with a special focus on issues related to coastal zone management.  These recommendations will complement the National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA). A network of key stakeholders at the national level will be established.

The project, implemented under the Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Programme and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), specifically looks at: characterization of livelihood systems; profiling of vulnerable groups; assessment of past and current climate impacts; and understanding of local perceptions of climate impacts, local coping capacities, and existing adaptation strategies.