Integrating environmental ethics into climate change adaptation policies in Bangladesh: a narrative review

Abstract

This article examines how environmental ethics are integrated into Bangladesh’s climate change adaptation policies, with a focus on the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2023–2050 and the Bangladesh Delta Plan (BDP) 2100. Using a narrative review methodology grounded in moral philosophy, the study applies key ethical frameworks including distributive, procedural, and intergenerational justice, the precautionary principle, ecological stewardship, and biocentric and ecocentric perspectives drawn from UNESCO and COMEST declarations to assess the ethical orientation of these policies. The analysis reveals that the NAP places stronger emphasis on participatory justice, gender and social inclusion, and ecosystem-based adaptation, indicating a gradual shift toward biocentric and ecocentric approaches. In contrast, the BDP 2100 reflects a predominantly technocratic and anthropocentric framing, privileging infrastructure and economic growth while only conditionally recognizing ecological integrity and intergenerational responsibility. Both documents highlight progress in embedding ethical considerations but show gaps in enforceability, indigenous knowledge integration, and accountability mechanisms. Limitations of this study stem from its reliance on document-based analysis rather than field validation; future research should incorporate stakeholder engagement and ethical audits of policy implementation. Overall, the core finding is that while Bangladesh’s climate policies increasingly acknowledge ethical imperatives, their normative integration remains uneven, underscoring the urgent need for enforceable ethical safeguards to achieve climate governance that is equitable, sustainable, and morally coherent.