Environmental profile of Bangladesh

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Welcome to the Presentation Management of
MEAs and Status of NCSA Bangladesh
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Conventions

• Bangladesh is a signatory to the following
  three key conventions covered by the GEF
•  
• Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992 (CBD)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
  Change, 1992 (UNFCCC)
• United Nations Convention to Combat
  Desertification (UNCCD)
•  

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Other ICPTs

• Vienna Convention on Ozone Layer, the Montreal
  Protocol and Subsequent Amendments
• Convention for the Trade in Endangered Species of
  the Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
• Convention on Wetlands of International
  Importance especially Waterfowl Habitats (Ramsar
  Convention)
• Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
  Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal,
  1989
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
  Pollutants (POPs)
• Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety
• Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, 1997

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Activities to fulfill CBD Obligations

• Signed June 5, 1992 Ratified May 3, 1994.
• Formulation of National Biodiversity Strategy and
  Action Plan (NBSAP)
• Establishment of Ecologically Critical
  Areas(ECAs) Tanguar Haor (Ramsar Site), the
  Sundarbans (Global Heritage site), Maheshkhali
  (coastal island) and other areas in Sylhet
  (hills, sanctuaries, national parks) have been
  declared as ECAs
• National conservation efforts through Sectoral
  Policies Forest Policy, Agricultural Policy,
  Livestock Policy, Fisheries Policy have been
  framed for conservation of species.

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Activities to fulfill CBD Obligations(Contd.)

• Scientific education, training and public
  awareness through workshops
• Policy regarding minimization of adverse impact
  on biodiversity Policy debate continues in the
  country regarding shrimp farming in saline waters
  which threaten mangrove forestry
• Access to genetic resources by mutual consent
  Activities include benefit sharing arrangements
  (policy and law) among the poor stakeholders in
  fishery and social forestry in Bangladesh.

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Capacity building constraintsCBD

•  
• Lack of integrated policy framework to protect
  and conserve biodiversity sectoral and
  issue-based policies vested with different
  sectoral agencies work at cross purposes
• Inadequate policy implementation and enforcement
  of regulatory framework
• Lack of or inadequate budgetary, technical
  manpower and know-how to implement the CBD
  obligations
• Poor understanding and lack of awareness among
  the stakeholders inadequate networking and poor
  information sharing system on the CBD issues

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UNFCCC

• Signed June 9, 1992 Ratified April 15, 1994.
• Initial National Communication (NatCom)
  identifying possible sectors and stakeholders in
  the countrys adaptation programme has been
  prepared
• Formulation of National Adaptation Programme of
  Action (NAPA), funded by UNDP-GEF, is in
  progress.

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UNFCCC (Contd.)

• Steps in association with various
  international agencies and development partners
• Assessment of the possible impacts of climate
  change and sea level rise on different
  sectorsInventory project by Department of
  Environment (DOE) to identify Bangladeshs
  vulnerability due to global warming
• Assessment of the contribution of Bangladesh to
  the global load of GHG
• Identification of possible options to abate
  national GHG emissions Study by DoE Asias
  Least Cost GHG Abatement Strategy (ALGAS)
• Identifying possible steps and specific projects
  that could have positive impact on reducing GHG
  emissions.

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Projects undertaken to address mitigation and
adaptation measures.

• Implementation ongoing
• Sustainable Environmental Management Programme
  (UNDP)
• Bangladesh Rural Electrification and Renewable
  Energy Development (WB/GEF)
• Regional Climate Predictions for National
  Vulnerability Assessments (DFID)
• Impact of Climate and Sea Level Change in part of
  the Indian Sub-continent (DFID)
• Dialogue on Water and Climate (the Netherlands
  Government, IUCN)
• Promotion of Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency
  and Greenhouse Gas Abatement (ADB, BCAS)

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Projects(Contd.)

• National Water Management Plan Project (GoB, GoN,
  WARPO)
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme
  (GoN, DFID)
• Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme
  (DFID-UNDP)
•  Project design ongoing
•  Offshore Islands Renewable Energy Development
  (UNDP-GEF)
• Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change Project
  (Canada Climate Change Development Fund)

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Gaps and Constraints in Implementation of UNFCCC
Obligations

• Inadequate focus on Climate change issue.
• Inadequate Sectoral policies on environment,
  climate change in particular
• Lack of scientific and institutional capabilities
• Lack of adequate data
• Lack of awareness among stakeholders
• Inadequate regional initiatives to deal with
  adverse climate change and other transboundary
  issues.

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UN Convention to Combat Desertification ( UNCCD)

• Signed 14 October 1994 Ratified 26 January
  1996.
• Major Programmes
• Annual Afforestation and tree planting programmes
• The Barind Integrated Area Development Project
  (BlADE) for mitigation of the processes of land
  degradation in the Barind region.
• Soil Conservation and Watershed Management
  programme.
• Ecosystem Management in the Barind Area through
  community based sustainable environmental
  activities.
• Electronic database on agro-ecological and
  drought prone areas
• Mobilization of The CCD Trust Fund through a
  partnership arrangement with the MoEF for
  providing funds to selected activities for
  implementing NGOs programmes.
• Sustainable Environment Management Programme
  (SEMP) funded by UNDP to address the major
  environmental priorities identified by the people
  through NEMAP

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UNCCCD Major Programmes (Contd.)

• Forest Resource Management Project (FRMP)
  Funded by the World Bank
• Bangladesh Environmental Management Project
  (funded by CIDA) - a institutional strengthening
  project to assist the DoE in meeting its mandate
  as defined in the ECA 1997
• Water Sector Improvement Project (WSIP)
• Follow-up on River Bank Protection Project (RBPP)
  
• Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation and Water Supply
  Project (BAMWSP)
• Coastal and Wetland Biodiversity Management
  Project (CWBMP) at Cox's Bazar and Hakaluki Haor
  funded by GEF

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UNCCCDTasks to be implemented

• Formulation of National Action Programme (NAP).
• Formulation of feasible and time specific
  implementation programmes to meet certain
  objectives of the NAP
• Planning actions and mechanisms to meet the UNCCD
  obligations.
• Enrich the knowledge base of land degradation and
  desertification processes
• Ensuring effective participation and linkages in
  the regional and sub-regional programmes under
  the UNCCD and the Thematic Programme Network
  (TPN) for cooperation between the affected
  countries.
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Montreal Protocol and Subsequent Amendments

• Ratification Status for Bangladesh
• Bangladesh accessed the Montreal Protocol on
  August2, 1990.
• Bangladesh ratified the London amendment on 18
  March, 1994.
• Bangladesh ratified Copenhagen Amendment on
  27 November, 2000.
• Bangladesh ratified Montreal Amendment on 27
  July, 2001.
• Bangladesh has not yet ratified Beijing
  Amendment.

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MPImportant activities undertaken

• Data Update Survey on import and consumption of
  ODS
• Reporting of data on the import and uses of ODS
  to Montreal Protocol Secretariat
• Assessment of Economic implications of ODS phase
  out.
• Enactment of ODS Rules in 2004
• Arrangement of workshops in the field of ozone
  depletion and trade associations
• Awareness Campaign

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MPImportant activities undertaken(Contd.)

• Preparation of National ODS Phase out plan.
• Phase out of ODS in aerosol sector.
• Establishment of an Ozone Cell in the DoE to
  monitor the phasing out plan and to develop the
  technical capability.
• Training programme for the officials of Customs
  Department, Bangladesh Rifles, Police and Coast
  Guard to combat illegal trade

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Basel Convention

• Objectives
• Control of transboundary movement of hazardous
  wastes and other wastes.
• Environmentally sound management of hazardous
  wastes and other wastes.
• Status of Ratification
• Bangladesh has signed the Basel Convention and
  ratified/accessed in 1993.

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Activities

• Bangladesh is yet to take any concrete action to
  stop import of wastes into Bangladesh. The Asian
  Development Bank (ADB) had financed a study
  project on 'Regulatory Framework on Import of
  Hazardous and Toxic Materials' and its report was
  published in 1997.
• One consultant from WHO had prepared a position
  paper on the use of toxic chemicals and disposal
  of toxic and hazardous waste in Bangladesh.
• In 1994, the DoE, with funding from WHO,
  organized a training programme and workshop on
  'Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes' and 'Risk
  Assessment and Management'.
• DoE is expected to implement a project entitled
  Training on Environmentally Sound management of
  Bio-medical Waste in Dhaka City under Basal
  Convention.
• An MoU to this effect has been signed between
  Bangladesh and the Basal Convention Secretariat.

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Capacity Building

• Basel Convention Secretariat has organized
  different training programmes and awareness
  building activities through out the world. But,
  no training programme was conducted in
  Bangladesh.
• Lacking in expertise to deal with chemicals and
  different kinds of hazardous wastes. Technical
  Assistance needed for the enhancement of the
  capacity of different organizations.
• Appropriate legal mechanism not yet developed to
  categorize hazardous wastes as per Basel
  Convention.
• No proper control procedure for the import of
  transboundary wastes.
• Bangladesh has banned all kinds of wastes under
  1997-2002 import policy order
• Assistance needed to develop National
  Classification of hazardous wastes and control
  procedure of import of wastes

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Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

• In order to participate in the Kyoto Protocol
  CDM process for generating Certified Emission
  Reduction (CER) the government has set up a two
  tier Designated National Authority (DNA).
• National CDM Committee, located at the MoEF. It
  performs all CDM related activities and gives
  preliminary approval of CDM projects.
• National CDM Board under the chairmanship of The
  Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. It
  gives the final endorsement of the approved
  projects. CDM projects approved by DNA can
  eventually be registered by the CDM Executive
  Board of the UNFCCC.

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Capacity Building of DNA

• CDM involves complicated project development. The
  business communities as well as the planners
  are not quite aware about the concept and scope
  of the CDM. The capacity is restricted to only a
  few people. For efficient CDM operations,
  capacity development of the following groups is
  essential.
•  Both government and non-government members of
  the CDM Committee
• Lending institutions and selected civil society
  groups
• Public and private sector enterprises where CDM
  projects can be developed
• NGOs to execute CDM projects in the rural areas,
  especially those having adaptation co-benefits

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Research on Baseline Data Collection

• To promote CDM, there is need for data
  collection.
• Some of the recent studies on CDM have generated
  some data, but that is extremely specific and
  applies to only the project being developed.
• Effort on baseline data collection is a priority
  area to develop CDM projects in Bangladesh.

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Salient Features of NCSA

• Primary Goal
• to identify priorities and needs for capacity
  building to protect the global environment
  through a country-driven consultative process.
• Specific objectives
• To identify, confirm or review priority issues
  for action within the thematic areas of
  biodiversity, climate change and
  desertification/land degradation.
• To explore related capacity needs within and
  across the three thematic areas.
• To strengthen national procedures to negotiate
  and implement the global environmental
  conventions.
• To integrate national data collection and
  reporting for various conventions.

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Specific Objectives (Contd.)

• To propose a unified capacity building strategy
  and action plans for future external funding and
  assistance.
• To formulate an integrated institutional
  framework to coordinate and monitor the
  implementation of the strategy and action plans.
• To link country action to the broader
  international environmental management and
  sustainable development framework.

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Principles for the NCSA process

• National ownership, leadership and commitment
• Optimal capacity utilization
• Adopting a holistic approach
• Use of provisions and obligations of the
  conventions
• Comprehensive stakeholder participation
• Designating a Focal Point

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Methodology

• Sectors and Levels of Capacity Building
• The Bangladesh NCSA would address the needs of
  the following sectors
• Public sector
• Private sector
• Civil society and NGOs
• Academic and research institutions
• Journalists and media

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Methodology (Contd.)

• Each of these sectors would be assessed for
  capacity building needs at the following levels
• Individual focus will be on education, training,
  awareness, gaining experience on the Rio
  Conventions and related issues.
• Institutional focus will be on governance,
  management, technology and finance.
• Systemic focus will be on setting up apex body,
  coordination mechanism, formulation and enactment
  of policies, acts, laws, and regulations. 

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Methodology (Contd.)

• These sectors and levels will then be
  subjected to the following procedure
• Capacity assessment
• assessment of the existing capacities
• assessing needs for new capacity building
• Existing and future needs will be identified
  through
• Key informant interviews
• Short and structured questionnaire
• Joint consultative meetings
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Methodology (contd.)

• Stakeholders consultation
• Expert evaluation
• External feedback and sharing of experience-
  Utilization of resources through
• NCSA Global Support Program and implementation
  support through UNDP by utilization of UNDP-GEF
  NCSA web site,
• Participation in regional workshops
• Exchange of information through discussion forum
  created through the web site.
• Development of activity matrix

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Linking NCSA with on-going activities

• Bangladesh has already prepared Initial NatCom.
  reports on status of implementing CBD etc.
• The UNDP-GEF funded National Biodiversity
  Strategy and Action Plan has been finalized.
• Enhancement of national capacity to implement of
  NBSAP is very crucial. Hence the NBSAP has
  emphasized capacity building initiative as one of
  the priority area of intervention.
• During implementation of NCSA, it will
  definitely play a vital role to execute the
  capacity enhancement initiative under NBSAP as
  well as with other Rio Conventions.

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Linking NCSA with on-going activities(Contd.)

• National Action Programme (NAP) is in the
  process of drafting. IUCN Bangladesh has been
  given the responsibility to prepare the NAP
  document.
• In the process of NAP development, IUCN has
  already identified and consulted all relevant
  stakeholders and priority areas of actions.
• NAP preparation will create opportunities of
  linking NCSA in the identified area of capacity
  building under NAP.

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Linking NCSA with on-going activities(Contd.)

• The UNDP-GEF funded National Adaptation Programme
  of Action (NAPA) for UNFCCC is got under way.
• IUCN Bangladesh, the implementing partner of
  NCSA, is in close liaison with sectoral working
  groups of NAPA preparation.
• This will be a good opportunity for NCSA to
  incorporate priority area of actions under
  UNFCCC.

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Linking NCSA with on-going activities(Contd.)

• Several other projects supported by different
  donors (UNDP, CIDA, World Bank, ADB, USAID, UNEP,
  etc) are working in line with UN Conventions and
  contributing directly and indirectly to capacity
  building in the environmental management in
  Bangladesh.
• Through NCSA process, close liaison with the
  on-going environmental projects will be
  maintained to bring in the experience of the
  project.
• Efforts will be extended form NCSA to acquire
  experience of the completed projects and
  experienced individuals to further smoothen and
  strengthen NCSA process.
• NCSA process will be able to able to tap IUCNBs
  existing networking facilities and working
  experience on Rio Conventions.

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Linking NCSA with on-going activities(Contd.)

• Since 1998 Institution and Policy Support Unit
  (IPSU) under MoEF is implementing SEMP component
  titled Capacity Building for Environmental
  Legislation and Policy Analysis.
• This is very much related to NCSA implementation.
  During the NCSA, a close liaison with IPSU will
  ensure utilization of previous experiences into
  NCSA.
• www.sdnbd.org is a comprehensive website
  supported by SEMP which now works as unofficial
  clearing house of environmental information of
  Bangladesh.
• While collecting information and developing
  portal for NCSA, the experience of developing
  www.sdnbd.org will be fully utilized.

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Project Outputs

• A participatory NCSA process operationalized
• National data collection and reporting for
  various conventions integrated
• capacity building needs identified and
  prioritized at national level by the stakeholders
• Synergies among Rio Conventions regarding
  capacity building needs established
• Measures to strengthen national procedures to
  negotiate and implement the global environmental
  conventions determined
• M E system for implementing capacity building
  strategy and action plans developed
• Integrated institutional framework to coordinate
  and monitor implementation of the strategy and
  action plans formulated

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Synergies among MEAsA holistic approach for
capacity building

• Benefits of a synergistic action
• Avoid duplication of efforts
• Adopt complementary approach
• Save resources and time
• Implement more than one MEAs at a given time
• Barriers to achieving synergies are
• Lack of understanding of cross-sectoral issues,
  information, impact assessments etc.
• Inter-departmental conflicts.
• Inadequate insight to work at local or ground
  levels.
•  

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Synergies among MEAs (Contd.)

• In the face of these challenges, there is a need
  to develop and enhance synergies between the
  instruments in terms of their implementation at
  local and national levels.
• In some cases, synergies and integrated
  approaches exist and can be built upon.
• In some cases efforts are needed to stimulate
  collaboration, cooperation and harmonization.

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Incorporating synergies among the Rio
Conventions into the NCSA Process

• Bangladesh is burdened with a number of MEAs
  demands and obligatory activities besides the
  reporting requirements and monitoring.
• This calls for urgent identification of capacity
  building needs at all the three levels
  (individual, institutional and systemic) and
  strengthening of existing capacities.
• Bangladesh envisages to identify capacity
  constraints as a part of the NCSA process.
• These constraints and bottlenecks could be
  addressed in a synergistic manner, where
  capacities for individuals, and institutions can
  be built centered around more than one thematic
  area at a time.

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Major capacity constraints identified by
stakeholders Source Stakeholder workshop, 09
June 2004, Dhaka

•  
• Lack of financial resources and delays in getting
  funds for actual implementation
• Lack of continuity and institutional memory for
  the Convention processes
• Low levels of awareness and knowledge limit the
  ability for discussion, decision-making and
  action.
• Individuals tend to be ineffectively deployed,
  mobilized, motivated or given responsibility.
• Lack of information management, monitoring and
  observations hampers policy and decision-making.

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Capacity Constraints (Contd.)

• Lack of synchronization of national policy, legal
  and regulatory frameworks leads to confusion
  between sectors and between national, regional
  and local levels.
• Institutional mandates either overlap or have
  gaps, key institutions are not involved, and
  interactions between institutions are not always
  effective.
• Preparation for, skill in participating in, and
  reporting back on, international negotiations and
  agreements is weak.
• Cooperation and networking within regions is
  often lacking.
•   Capacity building on these can be
  categorized into
• Human Resources, Institution Development and
  Restructuring, Coordination and Cooperation.

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Thematic Areas for Capacity Building

• The consultative meeting involving all
  stakeholders of NCSA during the proposal
  development phase has identified some of the
  capacity requirements that need to be addressed
  synergistically.  
• Thematic areas where Bangladesh would like to
  build its capacity include
• Inventories,monitoring and systematic
  observations
• Planning, policy development and reform of legal
  frameworks
• Impact assessment and research
• Information, knowledge and data management
• Reporting and monitoring
• Education, training and public awareness

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Conclusion

• Problems are encountered in the implementation of
  International Conventions, Treaties and Protocols
  (ICTPs).
• Almost all the initiatives regarding UN
  Conventions are donor driven. Once the project is
  completed and no fund available, the follow up of
  the project is often discontinued.
• The other problem is the lack of sensitization at
  different levels about environmental management.
• Because of these phenomena the capacity needs
  regarding environmental management remains
  inadequately addressed.
•  

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Conclusion (Contd.)

• Countries around the world have gone through many
  years of experimentations with development and
  implementation of programmes and projects.
• Careful assessment of these activities is very
  important to identify key principles and
  processes and to incorporate in a nations effort
  to undertake a self-assessment of country
  capacity needs.
•  

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Conclusion (Contd.)

• Attention must be given to all levels of
  decision-making and implementation. Outputs of
  environmental projects and activities cannot be
  sustained without awareness and motivation.
  Therefore, adequate provision must be made for
  awareness building at all levels.
• Another key area is full capacity utilization
  that needs to be closely examined. Often
  individual and institutional capacities are not
  exchanged or shared at the system level. This
  results in costly duplication of capacity and
  redundant capacity in the long run. It is
  necessary to identify such opportunities and
  pitfalls and to ensure that cross-sectoral or
  multi-institutional synergy is maximized.

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