Local leaders from Mongla, a coastal town in Bangladesh, convened at the Fourth Gobeshona Global Conference to present on progress, lessons learned, and challenges in developing People's Adaptation Plans. A collaboration between GCA and BRAC, the People’s Plans aim to empower vulnerable communities to confront escalating climate vulnerabilities, such as increased rainfall and flooding.
Anju Sharma, GCA’s Global Lead on Locally Led Adaptation, opened the event and emphasized the importance of grassroots-driven solutions in her welcoming remarks. Followed by insights from Shahriar Farhad, Coordinator at BRAC, who outlined the approach to developing and supporting the planning and implementation of People’s Adaptation Plans.
Representatives from Mongla shared their experiences, highlighting their communities’ engagement in comprehensive activities like profiling and mapping exercises, leadership identification, and climate vulnerability assessments. Through collaborative efforts facilitated by GCA and BRAC, communities identified tailored solutions to address local vulnerabilities, such as improving water quality and implementing water purification systems. Community representatives shared their experiences in implementing recommendations and their endeavors to align and integrate recommendations into municipal Annual Development Plans.