[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1170, 284], "category": "Text", "text": "contributions (NDC) commitments and ambitions to become an upper middle income country by 2031. Bangladesh presented an updated NDC in 2021 with more ambitious targets, and in particular, it increased its conditional emissions reduction target from 36 MtCO2e to 89.47 MtCO2e by 2030 compared to business as usual. The country also increased its unconditional emissions reduction target from 12 MtCO2e to 27.56 MtCO2e by 2030 compared to business as usual.¹⁰"}, {"bbox": [96, 297, 1170, 406], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action is therefore in line with the national development plans, and in particular: 8th Five Year Plan 2021-2025, Vision 2041, upcoming Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan, Renewable Energy Policy (in phase of revision), Energy Efficiency and Conservation Master Plan, Bangladesh Delta Plan (BDP) 2100, the SDGs agenda and Bangladesh's NDCs, and with the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan up to 2030."}, {"bbox": [96, 416, 1170, 551], "category": "Text", "text": "**This Action is fully aligned with the EU political priorities of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, Global Gateway, Agenda 2030, European Consensus for Development and is aligned with main pillars of the EU Green Deal.** In particular, it aligns with the main pillar for supplying clean, affordable and secure energy in an efficient way by enabling a green energy transition. It will also contribute to the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III, notably addressing the challenges and harnessing the opportunities of the green transition for a more gender equal society."}, {"bbox": [96, 561, 1170, 749], "category": "Text", "text": "**This action will build on the existing Team Europe Initiatives for Bangladesh (Green Energy Transition & Decent Work) by stimulating energy efficiency and improved social occupational safety and health conditions in one of the most polluting sectors in Bangladesh.** In addition, the action would build on the three identified enablers in the Annual Action Plan 2023, namely: 1) Education, and in particular technical and vocational training which will address job displacement caused by transition towards production process less reliant on manual labour; 2) Women's economic empowerment, to improve employability for women and to fight gender based violence in a sector notorious for abuse, and 3) E-governance to fight corruption which has enabled traditional brick kilns to survive."}, {"bbox": [96, 760, 1170, 841], "category": "Text", "text": "Finally, the proposed Action aims at supporting the Government to achieve the above objectives by promoting a socially and environmentally sustainable transition towards a sustainable economic development and inclusive growth model, as well as improving EU visibility in the country."}, {"bbox": [85, 881, 340, 911], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 927, 1170, 1088], "category": "Text", "text": "**Sustainable economic growth and the reduction of the socio-economic inequalities in Bangladesh cannot be achieved without affordable, reliable, clean and modern energy for all, reduced GHG emissions, and reduction of the economic cost of pollution with a focus on the most vulnerable**¹¹. With the construction sector being one of the key drivers for GDP growth in Bangladesh, improving environmental and social conditions in the brick manufacturing sector is an essential and necessary step towards achieving a green and socially just transition of the economy."}, {"bbox": [96, 1111, 1170, 1273], "category": "Text", "text": "The growing population needs housing and physical and technical infrastructure services. There is a shortage of 4.6 million housing units, and with the increasing population growth (165M today forecasted to grow to 191M by 2035), this housing shortage is not likely to decrease in the near future. In addition, to further support the economic development the government is engaged in some 28 mega infrastructure projects, which also increases the demand for bricks and building materials. Without natural stone as building material, the principal building material in Bangladesh is the fired clay bricks, which is the cheapest and most commonly available product."}, {"bbox": [96, 1297, 1170, 1538], "category": "Text", "text": "**Brick kilns are widespread within the country and Bangladesh is currently the fourth largest brick producer in the world.** It is estimated that a total of 35 billion bricks were produced in 2019. The sector is primarily categorized by Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), and is mostly comprised by one-person owned operations or small family-businesses with informal management. Brick kilns are omnipresent in the country and most of these are concentrated in the Greater Dhaka Region, particularly in Gabtali, Savar, Ashuliya, Keraniganj, Narshingdi, Gazipur and Manikganj, Barisal, Chittagong, Khulna, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Sylhet. Production is seasonal and is confined to the five dry months of the year with reliance on manual labour and low mechanisation and with limited financial, technical and managerial capacity. A report published in the Dhaka Tribune reported that there are at least 7881 brick kilns in the country (as of June 2022) with 58.8% of these considered as illegal¹². Furthermore, a report carried out by"}, {"bbox": [85, 1574, 1002, 1599], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/ndcstaging/PublishedDocuments/Bangladesh%20First/Updated_NDC_of_Bangladesh.pdf"}, {"bbox": [85, 1596, 830, 1621], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹¹ https://www.tbsnews.net/environment/bangladesh-loses-14bn-year-air-pollution-44359"}, {"bbox": [85, 1620, 892, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹² Minister: Around 60% of brick kilns operating illegally (dhakatribune.com), January 31, 2023"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 30"}]