Legal and institutional principles and guidelines for strengthening the role of local government in Bangladesh to facilitate food security impacted by climate change

Abstract

This research aims to identify legal and institutional principles and guidelines that could strengthen the role of Bangladesh local government to address food security impacted by climate change. Bangladesh has made some successes in improving food security, however, climate change impacts are threatening Bangladesh's successes, particularly at the local level. It is recommended, internationally, that local government has the potential to address the growing impacts of climate change at local level, such as impacts on local food security. Therefore, strengthening local government role in addressing climate impacted food security is necessary. In order to improve local governance of climate change, many international policy responses have prescribed some future roles of local government and have suggested adopting some legal and institutional principles and guidelines to strengthen the roles. This research has developed a set of appropriate legal and institutional principles and guidelines for strengthening local governments' role in climate impacted food security by integrating the recommendations of international policy responses of environment and sustainable development, climate change, food security and good governance. This research has also investigated relevant laws, policies and strategies of a developed country (Australia) and a developing country (Indonesia). Both Australia and Indonesia have a reputation for addressing climate change impacts on food security and a strong local government system. The research has identified some legal and institutional principles and guidelines in the relevant laws, policies and strategies of these two countries that are enabling local government to play an effective role in addressing climate change impacts on food security. The existing food security, climate change and local government laws, policies and strategies of Bangladesh indicate some potential roles of local government in addressing climate change impacts on food security. However, the research has identified some weaknesses in Bangladesh approaches to involve local government effectively; such as inconsistencies in laws and policies to strengthen local government, lack of legal acknowledgement of the capacity of local government, lack of resources, lack of coordination mechanisms and lack of guidelines for carrying out their effective role. This research, by considering the international recommendations and the experiences of comparative examples (Australia and Indonesia), recommends the adoption of some legal and institutional principles and guidelines to address the existing weaknesses and further strengthen Bangladesh local government roles in addressing climate impacted food security. The recommendations are: 1. Good local governance principles should be applied for strengthening local government 2. The importance of local government roles in addressing climate change impacts on food security should be acknowledged properly 3. Local government roles in climate impacted food security should be consistently reflected in climate change, food security and local government laws in Bangladesh 4. Capacity building and detailed guidelines to address climate change impacts on food security should be provided to local government. 5. Local government should have access to resources to facilitate local adaptation programs; and 6. Guideline for cooperation and coordination with other stakeholders should be provided.

Date of Award	2016
Original language	English