The Department of Environmental Science and Management at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) hosted a short course on climate change and locally-led adaptation on 23 February 2025. Organized under the COLOCAL Project, the event introduced key climate concepts to students, graduates, and professionals from diverse disciplines, including economics, computer science, and business studies.

Dr. Laura Kuhl, Associate Professor at Northeastern University in Boston, USA, conducted the first session. She discussed the rise in climate-related disasters, global emissions, the carbon budget, climate financing, and climate justice. She also addressed the links between climate risks, poverty, and industry and emphasized the potential of locally-led adaptation as a response to current climate challenges.

Abeda Tabassum, a PhD candidate at the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Seoul National University, South Korea, led the second session on urban adaptation. She shared her research on wind models and explained key topics such as the urban heat island effect, urban breeze circulation, and cool roofs. She also spoke about her graduate school experience in Korea and shared insights with students considering similar academic paths.

Afsara Binte Mirza and Rawnak Jahan Khan from the International Center for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) facilitated an interactive game on social inclusion. Participants took on roles as key stakeholders in a cyclone-affected rural community and worked to develop an action plan for future disasters. The best performers received books as prizes. One participant, who was assigned the role of a 50-year-old amputee, reflected on how the exercise provided insight into the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in disaster response and recovery.

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