Professor Emeritus Dr. Ainun Nishat, Advisor and Ms. Roufa Khanum, Assistant Director of C3ER, BRAC University, participated as Panelists in a side-event entitled “Enhancing Climate Resilience of Coastal Areas of Bangladesh with Nature-based Solutions” in Humanitarian Hub, Blue Zone, COP29 on 21 November 2024.
The side event focused on the effectiveness of nature-based solutions(NbS) in enhancing coastal resilience and highlighted Bangladesh’s specific challenges and initiatives.
Dr. A.K.M. Saiful Islam, Professor, IWFM, BUET, presented his keynote presentation focusing on climate vulnerability and challenges for resilience building using nature-based solutions for the coastal region of Bangladesh.
At the event, Dr Ainun Nishat emphasized the value of Indigenous knowledge in understanding and responding to environmental changes and urged the push for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to address climate challenges effectively.
Ms. Roufa Khanum highlighted the need for immediate actions, including raising awareness, enhancing capacities, and fostering collaboration among government agencies. She also said that the “C” community needs to understand NbS and strengthen its capacities. “
“The other panellists emphasized the misalignment between the CBD and UNFCCC, calling for integrating NbS into both frameworks. They highlighted the undervaluation of nature’s benefits in climate discussions, stressed the importance of community participation, and advocated for a bottom-up approach to ensure effective NbS implementation.
