Bangladesh needs US$1.4 billion to address the health impacts of climate change under its Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) for 2026-2031, with a study identifying potential funding sources from domestic resources, development partners and international climate funds.
The study by BRAC University’s Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER), released at BRAC Centre in the capital on Saturday, proposes mobilising $380 million from domestic public financing, $360 million from health-related contributions by other sectors, $520 million from development partners and $140 million through international climate-finance channels.
The proposed amounts are financing targets, not confirmed commitments, the study noted.
The plan aims to address climate-related health challenges, including extreme heat, climate-sensitive diseases, unsafe water and disruptions to essential healthcare services.
Bangladesh will need around Tk 17,000 crore, equivalent to $1.4 billion, to implement the plan and tackle the adverse health effects of climate change, said Prof Dr Iqbal Kabir, director of the Centre for Climate Change and Public Health.
Dr Ainun Nishat, emeritus professor at BRAC University and adviser to C3ER, said the growing health burden of climate change must be reflected in the country’s development planning and financing.
He said the HNAP should guide investments across the health, water and infrastructure sectors, with clear responsibilities for ministries and specific budget allocations. International adaptation finance should complement national efforts, particularly through grants to protect vulnerable communities.
According to the study, domestic public financing and contributions from other sectors could jointly cover around 53 percent of the plan’s investment needs.
Potential domestic sources include health-sector budgets, the Annual Development Programme and the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund. Investments in drainage, sanitation, safe water and flood-resilient infrastructure could also help reduce disease risks and maintain access to healthcare.
Development partners could provide around 37 percent of the required financing, with potential support aligned with programmes of the World Bank, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund.
The study also identifies possible funding opportunities through the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund and Least Developed Countries Fund.
Ahead of COP31, the financing roadmap could help Bangladesh present specific climate-health investment proposals to development partners and international climate-finance institutions, it said.
Four components account for $966 million, or 69 percent, of the plan’s investment framework: $350 million for resilient and low-carbon infrastructure, technologies and supply chains; $266 million for integrated risk monitoring, early warning and emissions tracking; $210 million for a climate-smart health workforce; and $140 million for leadership and governance.
The study recommends incorporating climate-risk assessments into new health-sector development projects, establishing a dedicated taskforce under the Health Ministry to develop costed interventions, and introducing specific codes in the government’s iBAS++ accounting system to track climate-health expenditure.
It also calls for stronger coordination among government agencies, development partners, the private sector and NGOs to mobilise funding effectively.
Speakers at the event stressed the need for blended finance to address challenges in the health sector, alongside training for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare workers on climate-related health risks.
They also recommended incorporating climate-related health risks into educational curricula, reports UNB.