Last updated: May 2023
Rajshahi is a Bangladeshi metropolitan city located on the north bank of the Padma river. The city has seen, throughout the years, an increase in greenhouse emissions and maximum temperatures as well as a decrease in open spaces from 11.09% to 4.5%. To counteract many of these challenges, the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), with support from ICLEI South Asia and UN-Habitat implemented an initiative called the Urban-LEDS II, which was designed to help cities to adopt a low-emission development approach. (Ref 2) The project's approach included support for better management and maintenance of Rajshahi's open green spaces, as well as an objective of raising awareness among stakeholders about the region's biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides and promoting outdoor activities. (Ref 1) The activities included in the approach were two-folded. One of them targeted the greening of the Rajshahi’s Kolpona-Talaimari river embankment through tree plantations on the slopes and was seen as a demonstration pilot for a bio-diverse plantation scheme. The project implemented a pilot-scale plantation employing native and introduced plant species, as well as maintenance, contracting out to a nearby nursery (Ref 1, 2). The other approach included an increase in public awareness and advanced conservation, hence common trees were identified and documented in a graphic guide. Mapping of the trees of Rajshahi called the Natural Asset Map, and a Pictorial Tree Handbook for its citizens in order to improve and better manage their urban green spaces and biodiversity were conducted. Maps of Rajshahi's natural resources have been created for the entire city as well as for each of its 30 administrative zones. ( (Ref 1, 2) It was expected that through these actions, Rajshahi would contribute to Aichi Targets 1, 2 and 17; and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11, 14, and 15 (Ref 3).
URBAN GREENING ACTIONS
Source: (Ref 1)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Blue infrastructure
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Air quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Improving mental health
- Improving physical health
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Effective management
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Strategy, plan or policy development, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
Project objectives
The intervention has several goals, each addressing a series of challenges observed and documented in Rajshahi. As such the intervention aims for the following goals:
1. To provide support for the city of Rajshahi in order to improve and better manage its open green spaces and create awareness among the citizens of its biodiversity.
2. To contribute to active participation, social interaction, and better physical and mental well-being among its residents.
3. To mitigate the impacts of increasing temperatures, as increasing temperatures and decreasing irregular rainfall can intensify habitat loss caused by urbanisation, further reducing urban biodiversity.
4. To improve the quality of air, water, and soil by absorbing the pollutants.
5. To support several ecosystem services, including pollination, by identifying several local plant species. (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4)
As the project was part of Urban Leads II, which addresses integrated low-emission and resilient development in several countries and cities in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, several general goals could be identified:
6. To contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate change resilience by the promotion of Urban Low Emissions Development Strategies (Urban LEDS) in cities/towns in emerging economies and Least Developed Countries.
7. To help Rajshahi City Corporation to prepare a Climate-Resilient Strategies and City Action Plan (CRCAP), with the possibility to increase the climate-adaptive and mitigating capacity of the city. The plan aims to provide effective guidelines for conserving and maintaining natural resources and lowering emissions through more sustainable urban development. (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4)
Implementation activities
The project started implementation in 2017. The first phase consisted of having biodiversity experts, with the support of the Urban-LEDS II project, assess the on-ground surveys of the diversity of flowering plants in selected areas of the city. This was followed by GIS-based tree maps depicting the spatial distribution of various tree species. Nearly 1800 trees at various locations including Shahid Kamruzzaman Park, Shalbagan Park and Kolpona-Talaimari river embankment with additional five key traffic islands got labelled. It was expected that such an action will improve public awareness and promote conservation. Maps of Rajshahi's natural resources have been created for the entire city as well as for each of its 30 administrative zones. In December 2020, a demonstration plantation project was initiated to transform a 2.5-km long stretch of open space, located on Rajshahi’s Kolpona-Talaimari river embankment, into an eco-friendly public space. Furthermore, over 800 seedlings were successfully planted along 29 specified slopes of Rajshahi’s Kolpona-Talaimari river embankment in February 2021. The species planted are native, have attractive flowers, and support several ecosystems. One of the main focuses of the project was to monitor the survival of the plants, water them, and replace dead saplings, grass patches and hedge plants. A local nursery was selected to implement and maintain the pilot-scale plantation using local and naturalised plant species. It can be said that in this way the Rajshahi City Corporation has gained the know-how on establishing and maintaining plantations through the project and have the necessary skills to upscale it to the rest of the city. (Ref 1, 2, 4, 5)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Sustainable agriculture practices to reduce energy use or carbon emissions
- Raise public awareness of behaviours, lifestyle and cultural changes with mitigation potential
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Create new habitats
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project was implemented by Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) with support from ICLEI South Asia and UN-Habitat. A local nursery was contracted to implement the task of pilot-scale plantation using local and naturalised plant species, as well as maintenance. Funds are managed by UN-Habitat, as the implementer, in close collaboration with ICLEI. (Ref 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The intervention was not built on previous existing local strategies but was expected to deliver one. Instead, the intervention was based on a previously-prepared Vulnerability Assessment, City Resilience Strategy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Inventory reports for Rajshahi City. It is aimed that these reports will be funnelled into the Climate-Resilient Strategies and City Action Plan (CRCAP) The Climate Resilient City Action Plan (CRCAP) (2021-22), approved in December 2021, identifies actions with a total mitigation potential of 60,748 tCO2 on an annual basis by 2026-27 and addresses local climate risks and vulnerabilities in the following priority sectors: buildings, street lighting, transport, municipal solid waste, water supply, wastewater & urban biodiversity and green space. (Ref 4, 6))
Financing
Total cost
€50,000 - €100,000
Source(s) of funding
- EU funds
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Reduced emissions
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Improved soil quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Enhanced support of pollination
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Improved mental health
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. UNDP (2021). RAJSHAHI ADVANCES ITS URBAN GREENING ACTIONS AND COMPLETES PLANTATION FOR A PILOT PROJECT ON BIODIVERSITY URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
2. Case-Study (n.d). Urban greening and Biodiversity Enhancement. URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
3. Source link. New Greening Plan to Revitalize Rajshahi as Climate-Responsive Sustainable City. URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
4. Cdkn (n.d.). Urban development must be planned and climate-resilient: Experience from Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
5. Source link. Rajshahi advances its Urban Greening actions and completes plantation for a pilot project on biodiversity. URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
6. UN HABITAT (2021), Accelerating Integrated Urban Climate Action, URL: Source link (Accessed 12 February, 2023)
7. Urban Leds II (2020), Mid-Term Evaluation Accelerating Climate Action through the Promotion of Urban Low Emission Development Strategies (Urban-LEDs II), report, available at Source link (Accessed 26 February, 2023)
2. Case-Study (n.d). Urban greening and Biodiversity Enhancement. URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
3. Source link. New Greening Plan to Revitalize Rajshahi as Climate-Responsive Sustainable City. URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
4. Cdkn (n.d.). Urban development must be planned and climate-resilient: Experience from Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
5. Source link. Rajshahi advances its Urban Greening actions and completes plantation for a pilot project on biodiversity. URL: Source link (Accessed on 01 February, 2023).
6. UN HABITAT (2021), Accelerating Integrated Urban Climate Action, URL: Source link (Accessed 12 February, 2023)
7. Urban Leds II (2020), Mid-Term Evaluation Accelerating Climate Action through the Promotion of Urban Low Emission Development Strategies (Urban-LEDs II), report, available at Source link (Accessed 26 February, 2023)
URBAN GREENING ACTIONS
Source: (Ref 5)
Tree Species Identification survey
https://urban-leds.org/new-greening-plan-to-revitalize-rajshahi-as-climate-responsive-sustainable-city/
Tree Labels
https://city2city.network/city-rajshahi-bangladesh-advances-its-urban-greening-actions-and-completes-plantation-pilot-project
City wide-natural-asset-map
https://city2city.network/city-rajshahi-bangladesh-advances-its-urban-greening-actions-and-completes-plantation-pilot-project
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the "NBS 2022" UNA Asian extension project funded by the Asia-Europe Foundation.