Climate-Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CREL)

The Climate-Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CREL) activity works with community-based co-management organizations, Government of Bangladesh (GOB) ministries and technical agencies to increase the country's responsiveness and resilience to climate change.

Specifically, CREL provides technical assistance to improve forest and wetland conservation and the governance of natural resources and biodiversity, and to diversify the livelihoods of Bangladeshis living in and near protected areas to reduce exploitation of natural resources.

CREL implements its activities in and around 21 forest protected areas, four wetlands and six ecologically critical areas.

CREL is also supporting work to revise conservation policies and, through support for the GOB, to implement key strategies including the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of 2004, and the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan of 2009.