The Road to the SDGs

PURPOSE X Climate change carries significant risks for MCs. Indeed, many coastal countries in Asia such as Bangladesh and Maldives are already facing severe impacts of climate change and this is set to worsen considerably in the coming years unless appropriate action is taken. X Since the approval of its climate change policy, IsDB has mainstreamed climate action and supported building resilience through its operations. X Although the Government of Bangladesh is implementing a wide range of measures to improve the country’s climate change resilience, Bangladesh faces significant climate change threats, namely: – Rising sea levels – Inadequate safe drinking water – Infrastructure challenges. X These issues threaten sustainable development and economic growth in Bangladesh. Due to climate change, the country is also subjected to more extreme weather events such as: – Seasonal cyclones – Flooding – Droughts – Erosion. X As a low-lying island nation, Maldives is one of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that is most vulnerable to climate change, due to: – Rising sea level – Population density – Dispersed geography – Economic reliance on nature-based tourism, fisheries and marine resources. X In particular, rising sea levels in Maldives are causing: – Stress on water resources and infrastructure – Severe impacts on the fishing industry – Food insecurity arising from the loss of fishing resources. X The country is also vulnerable to a range of natural disasters, including tropical cyclones, storms, heavy rainfall, floods, storm surges, swell waves, tsunamis, and climate-related hazards such as accelerated sea-level rise, sea surface temperature rise, and changes in monsoon pattern. METHOD X After carrying out climate risk screening of IsDB operations in Bangladesh and Maldives, projects were designed with measures to address identified climate risks in both countries. X The initiatives in Bangladesh and Maldives are in synergy with the new Mainstreaming climate resilience in IsDB operations I sDB is committed to helping its MCs in tackling climate change and has worked through its Regional Hub system to provide support for Bangladesh and Maldives Addressing risks from climate change is at the heart of IsDB- funded projects in Bangladesh and Maldives [ 128 ] SDGs