Bangladesh is to receive support from Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan to tackle the huge challenges posed by climate change over the coming decades. ADB's Board of Directors yesterday approved a technical assistance grant of US$2 million from the Japan Special Fund to increase the capacity of government agencies implementing a 10-year Strategy and Action Plan addressing food security, disaster preparedness and other key issues linked to climate change. "It is essential that Bangladesh prepares to adapt to climate change and safeguard the future well being of its people," says Zahir Ahmad, Project Implementation Officer for ADB's Bangladesh mission. "ADB assistance will allow the Government to implement the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, which will put the country on a low carbon growth path, make it more climate-resilient and help strengthen its food and energy security", he added. Along with increasing the capacity of the Ministry of Environment and Forests and other government agencies, support will be given to develop specific climate change mitigation and adaptation programs and projects. A sub-program will also be put in place to attract private sector businesses and other stakeholders to invest in clean energy projects eligible for carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism. Without addressing the impacts of climate change, Bangladesh is likely to see more hunger and increasing conflict as scarce natural resources dwindle even further in future. The full cost of the technical assistance is estimated at $2.5 million with the Government making an in-kind contribution of $500,000. It will run for two years, starting in August 2009, with the Ministry of Environment and Forests the executing agency. The Japan Special Fund is financed by the Government of Japan and is administered by ADB.