The probable impacts of climate change on poverty - UNDP

Foreword
<strong>The</strong> General Economics Division (GED) <strong>of</strong> the Planning Commission initiated Policy
Studies relating to MDGs under its UNDP assisted project 'Support to Monitoring
PRS and MDGs in Bangladesh'. Policy studies were felt necessary to support
informed and evidence based policy and strategy making for development planning.
In the first phase, three topics were selected for the policy studies. One <strong>of</strong> these three
studies is '<strong>The</strong> Probable Impacts <strong>of</strong> Climate Change on Poverty and Economic
Growth and the Options <strong>of</strong> Coping with Adverse Effect <strong>of</strong> Climate Change in
Bangladesh'. This study was outsourced to 'Bangladesh Centre for Advanced
Studies (BCAS)'.
<strong>The</strong> study examines the global initiatives on <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> and points out various
aspects <strong>of</strong> <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> regarding poverty and economic growth and ways <strong>of</strong>
coping with its adverse effects in Bangladesh. It projects that <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> could
affect more than 70 million people <strong>of</strong> Bangladesh due to its geographic location, low
elevation, high population density, poor infrastructure, high levels <strong>of</strong> poverty and
high dependency on natural resources.
<strong>The</strong> study identifies areas that need to be given priority by the Government <strong>of</strong>
Bangladesh and other concerns. It recommends that Government <strong>of</strong> Bangladesh
should consider scientific <strong>climate</strong> models and IPCC (Inter-government Panel on the
Climate Change) reports as the basis to prepare country specific <strong>climate</strong> action plans
in line with the sectoral projections / policies / plans for <strong>climate</strong> adaptation purposes.
<strong>The</strong> Study suggests implementation <strong>of</strong> the national <strong>climate</strong> strategy and action plans
particularly in the area <strong>of</strong> food security, social protection, human health,
infrastructure, knowledge management and research, capacity building and
institutional strengthening, in the context <strong>of</strong> poverty reduction and economic
growth.
We hope that the study would be useful in policy making in the evolving <strong>climate</strong>
<strong>change</strong> mitigation and adaptation program for Bangladesh. We express our
appreciation to BCAS for carrying out the study on behalf <strong>of</strong> GED. We would also like
to thank UNDP for supporting GED in undertaking this policy study.
National Project Director, Support to Monitoring PRS and MDGs in Bangladesh
General Economics Division, Planning Commission
Government <strong>of</strong> the People's Republic <strong>of</strong> Bangladesh