Inter-disciplinary modeling for pro-poor policy-making

Abstract

The ESPA Deltas project (www.espadeltas.net) undertook an ambitious, interdisciplinary study to understand the ecosystems of coastal Bangladesh and the lives of the millions of people who benefit from them. A key aim was to make the findings available to decision-makers who are seeking to protect and improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of the people who live in this dynamic delta environment. The project’s many findings have been integrated into a sophisticated model, the Delta Dynamic Integrated Emulator Model (ΔDIEM). The ESPA Deltas team is now working with the Planning Commission of the Government of Bangladesh to use the ΔDIEM to assess the diverse impacts of development options being considered as part of the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. These options include a strengthened sea wall and a new mangrove ‘buffer’ zone. Such simulations can identify trade-offs, and so benefit decision-making processes. The Deltas project approach could be adapted for informing pro-poor policies elsewhere in Bangladesh and, indeed, in other delta regions in the world.