GCA Support to Coastal Towns Climate Resilience Project
Adaptation Need
Bangladesh’s coastal towns sit in tidal zones just 1.0–1.5 meters above sea level, making them highly susceptible to climate hazards. Without adaptation, up to 7.2 million people annually could be affected by coastal flooding by the end of the century. GCA’s technical work highlights that monsoon rainfall could increase by up to 18% by 2055, compounding urban flooding and drainage failure. Salinity levels exceeding 20 ppt threaten water supplies, while heatwaves are projected to increase from 22 to 40+ days, intensifying health risks, especially for women and the urban poor. In towns like Kuakata and Chalna, over 90% of women remain homebound, facing heightened exposure to heat stress and water insecurity. These town-level insights are shaping CTCRP’s investment priorities for climate-resilient, socially inclusive infrastructure.
GCA’s Added Value
GCA is leading climate risk and vulnerability assessments across all 22 towns and identifying cost-effective, locally tailored NbS options in the four selected towns (three under the investment project and one additional). These include mangrove restoration, wetland conservation, canal re-excavation, urban greening, and eco-park development. GCA is also engaging local communities through partnerships with BRAC, ICCCAD, and SPARC to develop People’s Adaptation Plan in Patuakhali, Kuakata, and Borhanuddin based on a pilot tested in Mongla. In addition, priority adaptation solutions identified by the communities are being implemented in each of these towns through GCA’s support. Two national workshops have brought together municipal representatives and community voices from all the 22 towns to align investment decisions with local needs.
Project goals
Mainstreaming Adaptation and Resilience
GCA’s support to the CTCRP project has led to the integration of robust climate analytics and site-specific vulnerability assessments into investment planning for 22 coastal towns. Over ten NbS strategies were proposed, including pond restoration, canal re-excavation, vegetative slope protection, and mangrove afforestation—each tailored to localized hazards such as flooding, salinity intrusion, and erosion. In addition to investments from CTCRP’s slum improvement component, People’s Adaptation Plans developed by the communities secured funding from the development funds of all three Municipalities for implementation of adaptation solutions including NBS, such as canal re-excavation, construction of green roads etc. The economic analysis showed interventions like canal recovery and afforestation can yield Economic Internal Rate of Return (EIRRs) of 14–15%, demonstrating strong value-for-money. On the other hand, technical workshops and consultations helped translate scientific outputs into actionable investment pathways. By integrating NbS into municipal planning, supporting capacity-building, and amplifying community voices through People’s Plans, GCA is enabling a shift toward resilient, inclusive, and locally owned climate adaptation—ensuring that the CTCRP delivers long-term impact for Bangladesh’s most climate-vulnerable urban areas.
Expected Outcomes
- Strengthened resilience of vulnerable communities and infrastructure at coastal towns.
- Mainstream NBS as adaptation solutions in the coastal towns.
- Infrastructure investments that prioritize the needs of the poor, particularly women.
- Enhanced knowledge and capacity of the communities and municipal officials to anticipate, absorb, and recover from climate shocks and stresses for public infrastructures.
- Empowered youth led enterprises to ensure building climate resilient infrastructure with knowledge of climate informed technologies.
- Enhanced local leadership and participation in efforts to address climate vulnerability.
Timeline
Project status
Technical Assistance Preparation
GCA Support Implementation
October, 2022
GCA Support Completion
Monitoring
Finance
Project Investment Value
Total Investment Value
IFI Investment Value
$250.00M
Other Investment Value
$60.00M
Contacts
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