Sweden and IUB have launched a four-year partnership to strengthen climate action in Bangladesh. The Embassy of Sweden and Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) signed the project agreement on January 23. IUB VC Tanweer Hasan, PhD, and Maria Stridsman, Head of Cooperation and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka, signed the agreement on behalf of the two parties.

The project, called "Capacity Strengthening of Multi-actors to Limit Climate Change Impacts and Enhance Resilience", will be implemented by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) of IUB. The cooperation between IUB and Sweden aims also to improve collaborations among actors to develop common and coherent approaches to address climate change. 

Given that climate change knows no national boundaries, the collaboration between Bangladesh and other climate-vulnerable developing countries is also a key issue. The project is expected to fill the knowledge gaps on climate change issues that exist in local, regional, institutional and national levels, and thereby capacitate multiple actors such as researchers, the government, Non-Governmental Organizations, Community Based Organizations, the private sector, think tanks, schools, etc. to take up leadership in climate action.

"The negative effects of climate change in Bangladesh are hitting poor and vulnerable people the hardest," said Maria Stridsman. "This grant from Sweden will support ICCCAD's efforts to create an enabling environment for stakeholders to learn, implement and scale up solutions to address the complex and long-term effects of climate change". 

"Bangladesh has very little to contribute to global warming, yet we are one of the most vulnerable countries. At IUB, one of our key strategic elements is to develop our students into environmentally responsible citizens," said Tanweer Hasan. "We need to create a conscious young population, who are vested in the  challenges presented by climate change irrespective of what they do in their professional lives. We want our young people to be able to speak up about the national needs and what our stakes are in every discussion and negotiation they take part in about climate change. From that point of view, this grant will go a long way in equipping our students and that is great news for all of us."

"This project builds on the long experience of ICCCAD working on research, capacity building, and advocacy on climate change and environmental issues", said Prof. Saleemul Huq, Director of ICCCAD. "ICCCAD has substantial expertise in delivering on-the-ground research and capacity development interventions, which support the most vulnerable communities in Bangladesh and also in other Least Developed Countries."

The partners also aim to strengthen voices and evidence in support of inclusive and equitable climate change policies. In this regard, the role and capacities of the youth for driving climate action will be a focus of the partnership. Better transparency and accountability within the sphere of climate action will also be addressed by the project.