GCA Strengthens Urban Climate Resilience in Bangladesh through Training-of-Trainers Initiative
D
haka, Bangladesh, 19 May 2025 – The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), has completed a three-day Training-of-Trainers (ToT) to build long-term national capacity for climate-resilient urban development. Held from May 17 to 19 in Dhaka, the ToT prepared 29 trainers to deliver the GCA’s Urban Climate Resilience Masterclass (UCRMC) to local government officials from urban municipalities, known as pourashavas, across Bangladesh.
Developed with support from the UK Government, the ToT is part of GCA’s support to the Government of Bangladesh’s Improving Urban Governance and Infrastructure Program (IUGIP), financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The program, implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), targets 88 pourashavas to strengthen service delivery and governance with climate adaptation at its core.
Embedding Capacity for Urban Resilience
As Bangladesh’s secondary cities face intensifying climate risks—from rising temperatures and flooding to growing strain on urban services—the need for climate-informed planning has never been greater. In response, GCA and IIED developed the UCRMC: a structured six-module course aimed at enhancing participants’ understanding of urban climate risks and providing practical strategies for integrating resilience into municipal planning, infrastructure, and service delivery.
The ToT is designed to prepare participants to facilitate the future delivery of the UCRMC across pourashavas in Bangladesh. By the end of the training, participants are able to:
- Facilitate the rollout of the UCRMC at the municipal level;
- Communicate key urban climate risks and the importance of integrating resilience into urban development;
- Share practical insights and exercises on planning and implementing climate-resilient infrastructure and services;
- Foster peer learning and open knowledge exchange among municipal stakeholders.
“This training marks a critical step forward in embedding climate resilience into Bangladesh’s urban development strategies. Through this Masterclass, we’re equipping national experts with the tools to address climate risks, mobilize financing, and design inclusive, adaptive solutions for cities across Bangladesh.” said Feisal Rahman, Senior Water Climate Adaptation Specialist , GCA.
“This Training-of-Trainers is key for empowering our institutions and professionals to help cities better respond to climate change,” said Md. Abdul Bareque, Project Director of IUGIP. “Through this model, we are ensuring that knowledge and capacity are retained and scaled within the country to benefit municipalities in the future.”
Looking Ahead
With this new cadre of trained facilitators, Bangladesh takes a decisive step toward institutionalizing climate resilience in its urban future. These trainers will play a key role in delivering the Masterclass to municipalities under the IUGIP program, ensuring that knowledge does not remain at the center, but reaches the local level where it matters most. By building this national pool of expertise, GCA and its partners are laying the groundwork for sustained, locally driven adaptation—empowering cities to lead the way in tackling climate risks with confidence and capacity.
