Dhaka, Bangladesh, the world's fastest growing city, is under increasing pressure to meet water management needs, which are expected to be exacerbated by climate change.
To raise awareness about these and other climate-related challenges, the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and the Institute of Water Modeling (IWM) organized a “Climate Change Adaptation” training for government officials and NGOs in Dhaka.
22 October 2012: The Global Water Partnership (GWP) and the Institute of Water Modeling (IWM) organized a training on “Climate Change Adaptation” to raise awareness about climate change challenges Bangladesh will likely face in the future, including the potential impacts of climate change on water management.
The training included sessions on: the basics of climate change; climate change economics; climate change adaptation from a global perspective; climate change and coastal adaptation; climate change and urban planning; and climate change and urban flooding.
The training was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which has a population of 17 million people and is the fastest growing city in the world. Over two-thirds of Dhaka residents receive their water from the city water supply system, which is under increasing pressure to serve the city’s water management needs. Climate change is expected to further exacerbate pressure on Dhaka’s water system. The training included discussions of the long-term challenges related to Dhaka’s water supply, and a visit to the Saidabad Surface Water Treatment Plant, where participants learned about water treatment processes.
The 11 trainees came from a range of different Bangladesh government bodies focused on agriculture, engineering, environment, health, and water management, as well as from civil society. The trainers represented several different disciplines, including economics, engineering and public health. The training took place from 23-25 September 2012. [GWP Press Release]