Climate risk analysis can help shape infrastructure investments, but its lasting value depends on how institutions use it in their decisions. This brief draws on GCA’s support to the preparation of Bangladesh’s Green Railway Transport Project, examining climate risks along the Dhaka–Chattogram railway corridor. The work combined assessments of flooding, storm surge and extreme temperatures with analysis of adaptation options, including nature-based solutions, alongside training and guidance for infrastructure agencies.

The findings demonstrate the importance of assessing risks across an entire transport system and translating them into financial terms. Estimated losses from service disruptions exceeded those from physical damage, while rising temperatures emerged as a major source of future risk. Using Bangladesh Railway’s own operational data helped make these findings relevant to investment and maintenance decisions. The brief identifies early engagement, government ownership, institutional champions and the transfer of tools and knowledge as essential conditions for embedding climate resilience in infrastructure planning beyond a single project.