BRAC: Climate Bridge Fund

An estimated 2,000 people migrate to Dhaka every day from rural areas. By 2050, cities in Bangladesh are expected to host 13.3 million people displaced by the effects of climate change.

People displaced by the impacts of climate change often end up living in informal settlements, with inadequate access to basic services such as health, livelihood opportunities, water supply and sanitation.

The Climate Bridge Fund is a trust fund established by BRAC in November 2019, with the support from the Government of Germany through KfW. The fund supports small-scale projects implemented by registered non-governmental organisations in Bangladesh to strengthen the resilience of people displaced or at the risk of being displaced as a result of climate change.

IN NUMBERS

Number of awarded projects: 18

Total funding: Euro 21.935 million

Funding is often a big challenge for local organisations - who are often the closest to the communities affected by the impacts of climate change. The Climate Bridge Fund is helping local NGOs to support communities to adapt by bridging the funding gap. We are hoping some of these innovative projects will become proven scalable solutions that can be adapted across the global south to support internally displaced populations.
Asif Saleh
Chair, Board of Trustees, CBF
A holistic approach, engaging multi-stakeholders, to tackle climate change impacts has become crucial for Bangladesh, one of the worst affected countries by climate change. Climate Bridge Fund focuses on bridging the gap between local government authorities and local NGOs to ensure no measure remains stand-alone.
Md Liakath Ali, PhD
Member, Board of Trustees, CBF
To build resilience and sustain changes, local organisations need to have the capacity to design and implement, with effective monitoring and evaluation in context of specific adaptation projects. The Climate Bridge Fund will contribute to that while also promoting community empowerment and ownership.
Dr Ainun Nishat
Speaker, Advisory Committee Climate Bridge Fund (ACCF), CBF

CALLS

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WHAT WE DO

CBF has two separate windows to support different types of adaptation and risk reduction activities.

The Climate Change Window supports climate-induced migrants of five priority areas (Barishal, Khulna, Rajshahi, Satkhira, and Sirajganj). The Emergency Response Window supports climate-induced migrants and other people living in vulnerable situations in the COVID-19 hotspots of the country.

CBF finances projects which intervene in the following areas, with a focus on urban locations, particularly slums which have a high share of climate-induced migrants.

WHERE WE WORK

HOW WE DO IT

Local ownership

Concepts are prepared in close cooperation and consultation with local authorities, eg., city corporations and municipalities. The project concepts must be in line with key national and local policies and plans.

Bottom-up approach

Project ideas are developed in discussion with local communities who are living in vulnerable locations.

Innovative practice

Innovative ideas are promoted for effective adaptation in vulnerable locations. For example - DRMP constructed a water supply system but they incorporated solar system instead of using diesel, adding rain water harvesting system to reduce the pressure on groundwater. This practice also avoids emission of GHG.

Gender and socially inclusive

Inclusive projects are prioritised, particularly those which promote gender equality and support the most vulnerable groups and communities.

Bridging short-term to sustainable model

CBF “bridges” the financial gap from short-term project funding to the sustainable provision of services and infrastructure for climate-induced migrants.

Generating knowledge and evidence

Research is supported to identify knowledge gaps on climate-induced migration.

WHY IT WORKS

This is an endowment fund that responds to people's needs, which are identified by the community and then verified by the local government institutions. The projects' long-term viability is monitored, making them self-reliant with the direct involvement of the communities.