LoGIC project launched with initial $ 20m fund

Local Government Initiative on Climate Change (LoGIC), a project aiming to make 0.2 million of the most vulnerable houses in Bangladesh better prepared to adapt to climate change, was launched in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Started initially with a budget of US $ 20 million, the project will be implemented in the next four years in 7 most climate vulnerable districts of the country.

Sweden, European Union (EU), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Government of Bangladesh will provide the initial $ 20m fund which will be spent in four years for reducing risks of damages caused by disasters and climate change in the 7 most vulnerable districts and prepare them to recover readily from adversity.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Senior Secretary of ERD Mohammad Mejbahuddin said, the Bangladesh government is aware of the severity of the effects of climate change.

"When the global leaders have concluded the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 22) in Morocco, here in Bangladesh the UN, the EU and Sweden, joined the government of Bangladesh to address the country’s key climate change priorities set out in the Seventh Five Year Plan,” he noted.

He hoped that the LoGIC project, using and improving governmental structures, will set a mechanism to allow the local government institutions and vulnerable households direct access to the knowledge, technology and financing necessary to adapt to climate change.

“Therefore, projects like LoGIC could be tremendously useful to harness the potential of local community through engaging them in developing the local development plan,” he added.

Of the initial $ 20m fund, Sweden will provide around $ 9.25m, the EU approximately $ 8,57m, the UNDP and the UNCDF will give $200,000 each, and the Bangladesh government to provide BDT 60 million (Tk 6 crore). – press release