This project aimed to conduct a comprehensive strategic and impact assessment of existing, implemented, and proposed climatic, environmental, and ecosystem interventions in Bangladesh’s coastal regions, specifically targeting the exposed coastal districts of Khulna, Satkhira, and Cox’s Bazar. These regions, which face high vulnerability due to frequent natural disasters, are home to communities dependent on natural resources such as fisheries, agriculture, and forestry. The primary goal was to assess how well these interventions addressed climate justice, environmental sustainability, and resource rights, focusing on whether the needs of marginalized and resource-dependent communities were met.

DM WATCH LIMITED, commissioned by Oxfam, utilized a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. This study established a detailed inventory of past, ongoing, and planned projects categorized into three areas: economic development, nature conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The project developed a structured framework for assessing project impacts based on climate justice, biodiversity conservation, community engagement, and environmental justice. Key research questions explored how well the projects mitigated environmental degradation, promoted inclusive development, and empowered coastal communities in accessing and controlling their resources. Findings from this project aimed to inform sustainable development practices that address climate vulnerability, secure natural resource rights, and foster equity within Bangladesh’s coastal communities.

The specific objectives of this study included:

• Develop an inventory of the projects (economic development, nature conservation, climate change mitigation, adaptation) that have already been implemented or are in implanting stage or proposed to implement in near future and represent through spatial analyses.
• Assess the implemented projects and develop measurable indicators or parameters to estimate the impact of the projects in terms of changing the life and livelihood of the coastal people and improving the environmental, biodiversity and ecosystem condition (including spatial context) of the coastal areas considering climate justice and natural resource rights issues.
• Assess to what extent the proposed projects considered or valued environmental and societal justice (e.g., environmental screening, social screening vs real-time impacts). Measure the engagement of people and rights holders during the design, implementation, and evaluation of the interventions and assess to what extent the intersectional gender issues are considered in the implanted and proposed projects.
• Identify which types of projects became successful/failed in ensuring environmental justice and what are the major drivers/reasons for success/failure and develop impact maps (for both success and failures) from the intervention sites to the surroundings in terms of actual development, climate justice, and resource rights.
• Assess in terms of ecosystem restoration (e.g., NbS), climate change mitigation, and adaptation projects, whether the interventions/projects followed universally recognized processes and guidelines.

Key Highlights of the Assignment

DM WATCH LIMITED undertook a comprehensive range of services to achieve the objectives of the “Strategic and Impact Assessment and Evaluation of Existing and Proposed Climatic, Environmental, and Ecosystem Intervention and Development Projects in the Coastal Areas of Bangladesh.” This assignment required a detailed plan, rigorous data collection, and extensive stakeholder engagement. Key responsibilities included:

• Project Planning and Participant Selection: Developed a detailed project plan and selected participants in consultation with Oxfam and project officials, ensuring alignment with the Terms of Reference (ToR).
• Initial Scope and Design Discussions: Engaged in preliminary discussions with Oxfam to refine the project scope, objectives, and study expectations, forming the foundation for all subsequent tasks.
• Inception Report Development: Conducted a thorough desk review and prepared the inception report outlining methodologies, action plans, and data collection tools. The inception report detailed the project’s scope, including geographical and sectoral coverage, and provided a preliminary framework for assessing intervention impacts on climate justice and resource rights. The inception report finalized after incorporating feedback from Oxfam team and suggestions from the “sense-making” workshop with diverse stakeholdes.
• Project Inventory: Developed a comprehensive inventory of past (since 1971), current, and planned projects within the study regions, categorizing them into economic development, nature conservation, and climate adaptation/mitigation. Data were gathered through secondary document reviews, community surveys, key informant interviews, and field observations. The data collection covered essential variables such as community engagement and access.
• Data Collection Tool Development: Created both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools, including survey questionnaires and interview checklists. Conducted a sensemaking and validation workshop to refine study design and tools based on stakeholder feedback.
• Field Testing and Enumerator Training: Field-tested data collection tools and trained enumerators on the data collection methodology, emphasizing quality control, cross-validation, and digital data capture techniques.
• Data Collection and Quality Assurance: Carried out comprehensive data collection across targeted regions, with close field supervision, cross-validation, and quality control measures. Digital tools were utilized for data collection to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
• Data Processing and Analysis: Conducted data cleaning, coding, and transcription, followed by rigorous quantitative and qualitative analysis. The analytical approach included descriptive and inferential statistical analysis, thematic coding, content analysis, and spatial analysis to capture community experiences and intervention impacts. A success/failure spectrum analysis evaluated project outcomes against predefined development and environmental criteria, while a gender and intersectional analysis identified disparities affecting marginalized groups, particularly women and resource-dependent communities.
• Workshops and Validation: Organized data validation and reflection workshops, including a result validation workshop, to ensure the accuracy and relevance of findings. Presented preliminary findings and gathered feedback from stakeholders to refine the draft report.
• Reporting and Feedback Incorporation: Submitted the draft report for review, made presentations to stakeholders, and incorporated feedback. A comprehensive final report was prepared, integrating stakeholder inputs and feedback from validation workshops, and included recommendations for enhancing climate resilience and equitable development practices.
• Final Deliverables: Submitted the final report along with a project completion report, including digital datasets and presentation materials.