This is an excerpt from a study which originally appeared on the OECD website, read the full report here.
Abstract
The Climate Bridge Fund (CBF) – established by BRAC, an international development non-profit in Bangladesh, and financed by Germany via KfW Development Bank – aims to strengthen the resilience of people in urban communities who are displaced or at risk of displacement due to climate change. To that end, the CBF uses income from endowment interest to provide grants and capacity support directly to local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to implement locally led climate adaptation projects.
Challenge
In 2024 alone, climate change displaced 2.4 million people in Bangladesh. Many were forced into overcrowded urban slums following the loss of livelihoods, assets and property in their place of origin. Within these vulnerable communities, women, gender-diverse people, persons with disabilities and returnee migrants, in particular, face high systemic barriers that weaken their resilience to shocks and access to public services. For decades, civil society and NGOs in Bangladesh have been playing a vital role in delivering public services to these communities. However, accessing climate finance is challenging because the processes are complex, demanding significant human and financial resources.
Approach
BRAC – an international development non-profit founded in Bangladesh in 1972 – established the Climate Bridge Fund (CBF) in 2019 with support from Germany via the KfW Development Bank. The CBF unlocks funding to climate finance for people displaced or at risk of displacement due to climate change. The mechanism builds on partnerships between government, large NGOs and small local groups, an inclusive approach that ensures frontline communities can lead their own long-term resilience efforts, tackling both economic and non-economic losses from climate change.
Read the full report on the OECD website.
