Strategies for Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Bangladesh.

Abstract

Climate Change is widely acknowledged for increasing the scale and intensity of disasters. A
growing body of literature stresses the necessity to link Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and
Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) to make more efficient use of scarce resources and avoid
overlapping efforts. However, in reality, integrating interventions for DRR and CCA remains a
challenge because these two concepts incepted and sourced from, and are articulated in, distinctive
researchers and practitioners. Little study has yet identified the strategies for effective integration
of DRR and CCA. This study has identified the strategies for integrating DRR and CCA in
Bangladesh. Key strategies include: i) managing more funds and ensuring better funding
mechanisms; ii) better governance framework; iii) coordination and collaboration; iv) innovation
and adaptation; v) integrating and updating policies; vi) integrating DRR-CCA in development
work; vii) involving the community and listening to local voices; viii) a new platform for
integrating DRR and CCA; ix) political will and leadership; x) prevailing harmony in power
relations; xi) research, information and knowledge sharing; xii) sharing risks and insurance.These
strategies are underpinned by the political economy- the nexus of influencing actors relevant to
DRR and CCA. This study thus recommends the needs for an in-depth political economy
analysisto identify re-oriented institutional arrangements, efficient governance frameworks,
improved policies, and mechanisms for effective coordination among influencing actors to assist
effective integration of DRR and CCA.