Experts advocate for nature-based solutions to bolster Delta Plan

Experts emphasised the need to transform all municipalities in Bangladesh with nature-based solutions to improve climate resilience and strengthen the Delta Plan 2100. 

They were speaking at a day-long peer learning session, which was organised by the Altec Consultant Limited (ACL), IHE Delft Institute for Water Education with the support of Partners for Water (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) in the capital on November 24, 2024 (Sunday). High officials from the Kingdom of Netherlands and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands collaborated on the event.

The session reflected upon UD's core focus on addressing urban challenges through sustainable solutions and discussed its impact in its pilot areas, Keshabpur and Raozan Upazila, by restoring public spaces and enhancing water storage, cleaning, cooling, and maintaining infrastructure. In this session, UD shared their plans to extend this approach to 8-10 additional municipalities over the next three years, with the potential to influence 100 towns.

Andre Carstens, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, inaugurated the peer learning session. Sami W. Chowdhury, Project Leader of the UD and Managing Director of ACL and Mirza Md Mohiuddin, Consultant of SiBDP 2100, delivered detailed presentations focusing on Delta Plan 2100. Other distinguished guests shared their valuable insights. Kazi Khaleed Ashraf, Director General of Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements, handed over "The Great Padma" book to the ambassador.

Andre Carstens, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, said, "I fully support the aim to transform the municipalities all over Bangladesh with nature-based solutions to improve climate resilience and liveability. The Netherlands have an amicable relationship with Bangladesh. The cooperation between the two countries will remain alive as our companies and knowledge institutes actively engage in Bangladesh in key areas such as river, coastal and delta management education and training, as well as research and innovation. Both countries collaborated in designing the visionary Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, which was an important step forward to fulfilling the commitment of achieving a safe, resilient, and prosperous Bangladesh. It is truly commendable that the Urban Demonstrators address the urgency of climate actions and hope to provide a fast-track alternative to beat the challenges of accelerating climate change and rapid urbanisation. I am proud to be a part of this initiative."

Chris Zevenbergen, Professor of Flood Resilience of Urban Systems at IHE Delft and one of the initiators of the Urban Demonstrators, said, "Our visionary ideas, particularly the advocacy for environmental protection and initiatives to mitigate water logging and waste management to safeguard nature, align closely with the UD initiative. These forward-thinking efforts to raise societal awareness resonate deeply with the mission to pioneer sustainable urban development in Bangladesh. The Urban Demonstrators project has already accelerated improvements in Bangladeshi towns like Keshobpur and Raozan by restoring and preserving public spaces, enhancing water management, and improving urban infrastructure. To scale up, 10 and 100 other Bangladeshi towns will follow suit in the next years."

Among distinguished guests, high officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, ACL, IHE Delft, Waterstudio Netherlands, CEGIS, C4RE along with officials of Keshobpur, Raozan, Boalkhali, and Teknaf municipalities were present at the event held at the hotel, Amari Dhaka. With the initiative of Asian University for Women and Young People for Development (YPD) Bangladesh, student representatives of several universities also participated in the session. This Peer Learning event brought together representatives from around ten municipalities to share insights, collaborate, and shape the next steps for scaling UD's transformative approach. The participants and the youth representatives lauded this initiative and suggested forward-thinking ideas at the event. They also expressed hope that besides contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this initiative will also open doors for implementing specific regional plans like the Delta Plan 2100 in Bangladesh.