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Energy and environment are essential for sustainable development. Environmental degradation and lack of access to clean affordable energy services disproportionately affect the poor. These issues are also global as climate change, loss of biodiversity, and ozone layer depletion cannot be addressed by countries acting alone.

In Bangladesh, UNDP helps strengthen capacity to address these challenges at global, national and community levels by seeking out and sharing best practices, providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through pilot projects that help poor people build sustainable livelihoods.

At the global level, Bangladesh is a strong supporter of international agreements aimed at environmental protection. UNDP supports national capacity building for compliance with these global conventions and regulatory regimes, as well as national participation in global funding mechanisms for environmentally sustainable development. As a result the nation has already slashed the production of the ozone depleting CFCs by 60 percent and is now on target to meet commitments under the Montreal Protocol. In addition UNDP is supporting the Government to integrate global environmental concerns and commitments into national development planning and policy.

At the national level, following the Rio Earth Summit, UNDP assisted the Government to identify and prioritize environmental concerns, which included management of natural resources, and protection as well as the regeneration of biodiversity unique to Bangladesh. Out of that exercise came the comprehensive Sustainable Environment Management Programme (SEMP), which was the first national attempt to target critical environmental challenges through one umbrella programme, which works at the policy as well as the community level.

Also at the national level, UNDP is supporting the Government to improve disaster management, enhance food security, strengthen national capacity for environmental policy and legislation development as well as fosters strategic partnerships and coordinate with other donors.

At the community level, a number of initiatives aimed at increasing local food production in an environmentally sustainable manner, as well as natural resource management and biodiversity protection, are being undertaken with support from UNDP. These include, farmers learning how to use more environmentally friendly forms of pest management, and coastal fishing communities, who have seen their incomes erode over the past decade due to over exploitation of sea resources, being supported to manage these.
 

Projects on Environmental Sustainability

Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Development

BGD/95/006 - Utilization of Agro-ecological Database and Installation of Geographic Information System for Agricultural Development: Using Global Information System (GIS) technology, this project is aimed at establishing a scheme that will enable decision-makers in Bangladesh to optimize the nation’s limited land resources. 

BGD/97/041 - Integrated Horticulture and Nutrition Development: Aimed at low income communities, this project seeks to increase horticulture crop production and improve post harvest handling to ensure a better return for poor farmers.

BGD/97/017 - Empowerment of Coastal Fishing Communities for Livelihood Security: The coastal fishing communities of Bangladesh are among the poorest. Also, due to the over exploitation of sea resources, their meager livelihoods are slowly eroding away. Through this initiative, UNDP is working with the Government to improve these communities’ incomes and access to social services.

BGD/99/007/A – Technical Assessment for the Development of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Livestock Sectors in the Chittagong Hill Tracts: This assessment will include reviews and analysis of the constraints and identify the potential for improvement and future development of these crucial sectors.

BGD/99/009 - Study on the Effects of Using Arsenic Contaminated Water for Agricultural Production and its Relay in the Food Chain: It is expected that upon completion, this study would be used to draft a programme, aimed at developing a sustainable integrated water management system for the mitigation of arsenic and other water quality problems.

BGD/00/006 - Developing Plan of Action for Implementation of the National Agricultural Policy: This initiative is aimed at preparing the ground in support of the Government’s plan to draft and implement a national policy on agriculture.  

BGD/02/005 – Assessment of Utilized and Potential of Biotechnological Advancement of the Agriculture Department of Bangladesh: This initiative will evaluate current policies and priorities, including programmes undertaken to develop agriculture biotechnology, explore the private sector interest and market possibilities. 

Pollution Reduction

BGD/95/G61 - Conversion to CFC-Free Technology in the Manufacture of Aerosol Production at Advanced Chemical Industries: To assist Bangladesh, particularly the private-sector, achieve agreed targets under the Montreal Protocol, this project is aimed at eliminating the use of CFCs in aerosol production.

BGD/99/G61 - Institutional Strengthening for ODS Phase-out under Montreal Protocol (Phase-II): To assist the Department of Environment to coordinate the Government’s plan for compliance with the provisions agreed under the Montreal Protocol.

BGD/00/008 - Technical Assistance to Strengthening RPGCL Through Training on CNG as Transportation Fuel for Environment Improvement: Pollution from vehicles is causing health concerns for urban dwellers. This project is aimed at developing cleaner fuels, especially for use in the famous ‘baby taxi’, which is widely used in Bangladesh.

Sustainable Environment Management

BGD/96/007 - Sustainable Environment Management Programme: Through a previous project, five areas of concern with regard to environment were identified. This initiative was designed to address these concerns and is an umbrella for 26 initiatives.

BGD/99/G31 - Coastal and Wetland Biodiversity Management at Cox's Bazar and Hakaluki Haor: The overall objective of this initiative is to establish and demonstrate an innovative system for management of ecologically critical areas in Bangladesh, which will have a significant and positive impact on the long-term viability of the country’s globally significant biodiversity resources.

BGD/00/G31 - Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan: The primary objective of this project is to develop a national biodiversity strategic action plan and establish coordination among relevant sectors working on meeting Bangladesh’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).