Online Desk: The government of Bangladesh has signed a $400 million policy-based loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to achieve a climate-resilient inclusive development.

Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary at the Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Edimon Ginting, country director at the ADB, signed the loan agreement on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB, respectively, at a ceremony at ERD in Dhaka today.

This assistance is the first subprogramme of the indicative $700 million Climate-Resilient Inclusive Development Program.

“As the region’s climate bank, ADB is committed to support Bangladesh’s progressive actions to strengthen its climate resilience, transition to a low-carbon economy, mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions, and mainstream gender equality and social inclusion in the government’s climate actions,” said Country Director Edimon Ginting.

The programme will create an enabling institutional and policy environment to mobilise climate finance, prioritise climate actions in the country’s overall development agenda, and help the government implement reforms in climate-critical sectors, including agriculture, disaster management, transport and infrastructure, urban development, and energy.

The programme facilitated the creation of the National Committee for Environment and Climate Change headed by the Prime Minister for holistic implementation of the government’s climate priorities across ministries.

The programme will intensively support the government in operationalising the Bangladesh Climate and Development Partnership presented recently at COP 28.

The programme supports the mainstreaming of climate priorities in government planning and resource allocation, and the mobilisation of climate finance through green bonds and sustainable finance policy.

At the sectoral level, the programme promotes climate-smart and climate-resilient agricultural practices, especially those that favor female farmers, adaptation of solar irrigation pumps, introduction of climate-resilient infrastructure design and planning, and regulatory framework for adaptation of electric vehicles and introduction of electric buses in the public transport fleet.

ADB also helps promote climate-resilient city action plans and improved drainage systems for municipalities to reduce urban flooding.

In October 2021, ADB announced it is raising its ambition to deliver climate financing to its developing member countries to $100 billion from 2019 to 2030. This will expand access to new, climate-focused technologies and mobilize private capital toward climate finance.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.