Impact Of Climate Change On Bangladesh Environmental Sciences Essay

Impact Of Climate Change On Bangladesh Environmental Sciences undertakeThe world is undergoing a broad set of global trades, like deepens in tribe density, humor, vision use, degrade use, biodiversity, and urbanization and globalization processes. Climate convert is adept of the drivers of global limiting, which has over the years been received strong boil down by scientists, policy-makers and leaders of the world (Vitousek, 1994). At present climate transform is considered as emerging global threat that non only induces inseparable environmental impacts moreover also affects the social structures, stinting factors and the over every(prenominal) submit process (Birkmann, 2010). This emerging threat has introduced a new social society named Climate Refugee especially for the affected developing nations. The UN currently states that more refugees argon displaced by environmental catastrophes than wars, and the number of the climate refugee is more than 25 one millio n million which is likely to bend 50 million in coming decades (Meyers, 2002). out(a) of those 25 million mass somewhat 10 million be from Africa who atomic number 18 directly affected by the climate tilt via droughts. The instant largest group is from coastal atomic number 18as of Asian countries, who are affected by cancel disasters like cyclones, storm surges, floods, salinity and droughts (Anon, 2010).The cumulative lay outs of climate assortment exacerbate food and water in warrantor, loss of biodiversity and ecosystem, environmental degradation and gracious insecurity with social conflict, political conflict and violence in the affected developing countries (Adger and Kelly, 1999). Hence, the socioeconomic structures are undermined in these countries where the affected people are compelled to switch over occupations for livelihood. These are the people who can no longer ensure a secured livelihood in their origin of place (Mayers, 2002). Together with climate co mpound effects, population pressure trouble and hardcore poverty switch induced a no parry change in the whole economic structure of these countries. As a result, these countries are suffered from inveterate socio-economic inequality and social instability (Barnett, 2007).Bangladesh often makes top news all over the world. However, unlike most former(a) countries, it is not because of politics but for devastating innate catastrophes causing huge death tolls and massive destruction. This southmost Asian LDC, since her independence in 1971, has been seek with a number of socioeconomic and socio-political problems a good deal(prenominal) as- rapid population growth, poverty, illiteracy, gender disparity, slow economic growth, institutional inertia, political instability, violence and so on. But from last two decades she started struggling with a new problem- the adverse effects of climate change in the form of natural disasters (Miliband, 2009). Over the last two decades these d isasters have become regular phenomena contributed miserable suffering to millions of inhabitants who are compromising to the climatic shocks (GoB, 2005). In other words, climate risk for Bangladesh is comparatively higher(prenominal) than most other countries of the world. The Global Climate Risk Index prepared by Germanwatch shows that Bangladesh is at top of the ranking of most affected countries by climatic uttermost(a) unconstipatedts over the last two decades. Table 1.1 shows the overall ranking do by Germanwatch.that the most common disasters are flood and cyclone. Recent IPCC opinion reports (TAR, 2001 and AR4, 2007) also reveal that over the last two decades both of the to a higher place-mentioned disaster-events have become more frequent and devastating for Bangladesh. It is learnt from IPCC reports that 5-10% increase in wind speed is very likOn basis of above-mentioned table, it is painless to apprehend why Bangladesh was cited numerous occasions in COP15 held in Copenhagen in 2009. At present this country is more likely to exposed towards climatic extreme events than most of the countries in the world (UNFCCC, 2009). These events, in form of natural disasters range from ravaging cyclones to devastating floods (Muhammad, 2007). Following Table 1.2 provides an overall sentiment on most devastating disasters occurred in Bangladesh since archeozoic twentieth century. This table showslikely during the cyclone-season in Bangladesh that would eventually enhance storm surge and coastal flooding, term 10-20% increases of wind intensity can cause floods both in coast and inlands as the cyclone makes land fall (Agarwala, 2003). It has been assessed that an increase of 2 C temperature and a 0.3 m sea level rise would cause a cyclone in the costal belt of Bangladesh as strong as cyclone of 1991 furthermore, such a cyclone is likely to result in a 1.5 m higher storm surge that may swamp 20% more land than 1991 cyclone (Ali, 1996). The most recent exa mple of costal cyclone as possible effect of climate change is SIDR which battered the coastal belt in Bangladesh on 15th November 2007. The wind speed was about 220 to 240 km/hour and at least 3,113 people were known dead and more than 10,000 were missing the ravish callable to this disaster had been a bombastic US$ 2.3 million (EMDAT, 2009). The intensity of SIDR was not less than the 1991 cyclone in some part of the coastal areas and the impact was even more than that. Furthermore, on 27th May 2009, another devastating cyclone named AILA form the South-western part of Bangladesh and West Bengal of India, which exacerbated the suffering for the affected people in Bangladesh although an early warning system enabled the evacuation of an estimated 2.7 million people to higher reason and cyclone shelter-houses (BBC, 2009). It is predicted that a iodine meter rise of sea level would inundate more than 18% of the coastal belt and will affect 11% of the total countrys population. T wo-third of the whole country is only 10 m above the sea level therefore, about 13 million of the total population may likely to be homeless and become environmental refugees as the victim of climate changing process (Huq et al, 1999). Khulna and Barisal, the costal divisions of Bangladesh are relatively disaster-prone, where about 3.2 million people are at risk and about one-eighth of the countrys agricultural lands and more than 8,000 communication networks are likely to be affected due to climate change effects (Parvin, 2010).1.2 Statement of the problemAbout one third of the territory of Bangladesh is delimited as coastal areas which are combined of characteristic opportunities, diversified threats and vulnerabilities (HarunOrRashid, 2009). It is because coastal areas possess several(predicate) geo- physiological and environmental characteristics that distinguish the coastal partition from tolerate of the country. These distinctive characteristics are interplay of tidal regi me, salinity in soil and water, cyclone and storm surge with economic and social implications on the population (PDO-ICZMP, 2003). Hence, such identical geo-physical pattern has introduced a completely different livelihood pattern, where people are involved with selected coastal economic activities like fishing, salt production, fry collection from the sea and resource collection from the adjoining mangrove forest (Ahmed, 2003, Islam, 2004).Although the coastal areas are much more fertile land for agricultural production, these areas are relatively income-poor compared to the rest of the country. Average per capita GDP (at current market price) in the coastal zone was US$ 402 in 2008, compared to US$ 621 for the whole country on ordinary (GoB, 2009 CDP, 2009). There are ten different social communities living in the coastal zones and they have complete different cultures and livelihood patterns. Along with the nontribal people, those ethnic communities completely depend on the co astal natural resources for their livelihood (Kamal, 2001). Their discouragement and dream, plight and struggle, photo and resilience are uniquely revolved round in an intricate ecological and social setting which make their livelihoods distinctive from other parts of the country to a considerable extent.The Government of Bangladesh has already recognized coastal zone as areas of enormous potentials. In contrast, these areas are lagging behind in socio-economic using and vulnerable to different natural disasters and environmental degradation (Sevaraju, 2006). For a LDC like Bangladesh where the climate change takes a shape of natural disaster not only affects the socio-economic condition of coastal communities but also hinders obtaining an optimal GDP growth (ADPC, 2007). Climate change poses a significant threat for Bangladesh, particularly the projected climate change effects include sea level rise, higher temperature, enhanced monsoon haste and run-off, potentially reduced dry season precipitation and increase in cyclone intensity in this region (Agrawala, 2003). Those threats would induce serious impediments to the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh including coastal areas. A subjective ranking of key climate change effects for coastal Bangladesh identifies cyclone and sea level rise as existence of the highest priority in terms of severity, certainty and urgency of impact (Parvin, 2009). depicted object Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA) and other scholars have identified the coastal areas of Bangladesh as one of the most affected areas in the world due to the threats of climate change effects (GoB 2005). In the southwestern part of Bangladesh the physical isolation of coastal communities makes them highly resource-dependent available around the coast and adjacent mangrove forest (the Sundarbans), which reduces their opportunities to access to option livelihoods indeed. These hindrances make the coastal communities vulnerable to any disruption, especially to natural catestrophes. As a result, households in coastal communities suffer from imbalance of social and economic powers, lack of participation in decision-making, limited or zero asset ownership, and laws and regulations influencing peoples ability to use assets or access to resources (Pomeroy et al., 2006).1.3 Justification of the makeThere are only a few number of studies have been conducted on coastal Bangladesh. These studies are in the first place conducted on hazard warning and evacuation system (Paul and Dutt, 2010), health security due to disaster (Ray-Bennet et al., 2010), physical injuries during cyclones (Paul, 2009), and coastal hazards and community-coping method (Parvin, 2009). So, most of these studies cogitate on the coping and adaptation mechanisms in coastal areas. However, we hardly muster any deliberate that communicate the socioeconomic picture in local level of coastal zone, especially in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. Hence, witho ut signalizeing local-level pic pattern the suggested coping or adaptation mechanism is likely to be least effective in reality. In this take aim we attempt to execute up the knowledge gap by identifying quantitative local-level pic at first then we try to look for optimal adaptation options ground on empirical relationship in the midst of photo and important socioeconomic parameters. We selected Koyra upazila as our take area, which one of the most disaster-prone areas in southwestern coastal zone of Bangladesh.1.4 Research questions and objectives of the studyConsidering all the above-mentioned facts, we proceed with the breakthrough of logical answers of following query questionsWhat is the symptom of climate change in the study area?Which major(ip) climatic factors constitute for climate change here?Which factors exacerbate such vulnerability? Is there any single factor or multiple factors?What is the nature and magnitude of relationship betwixt this vulnerability an d socioeconomic factors in the study area?What are the possible adaptation options in terms of capacity for the vulnerable households in study area?The above-mentioned research questions are addressed by the study objectives. Hence, the main study objectives areTo understand and figure out the face of climate change in the study area,To specify socioeconomic vulnerability and assess the nature and magnitude of the relationship between vulnerability and major socioeconomic parameters of the study area, andTo identify and recommend the optimal adaptation options in terms of capacity of households in the study area while addressing socioeconomic vulnerability.1.5 Outline of this studyThis study consists of nine chapters. Let us have a glimpse at the brief contents of all the chapters chronologically.Chapter one is introduction. It provides an overall scenario on Bangladeshs status in relations with climate change effects. We briefly discuss about the problem statement and then we ide ntify the possible knowledge gap of socioeconomic vulnerability in the study area. We conclude this chapter by mentioning a number of research questions, which are addressed by three main objectives of this study.In Chapter two we focus on the theoretical primer and theoretical framework for this study. Under theoretical background we mention and briefly discuss relevant literatures in accordance with our study objectives. thusly we depict the theoretical framework for this study, which is apply for quantifying socioeconomic vulnerability of the study area.We mention about the methodology of this study in Chapter three. In this chapter we focus on types of research that we have adopted in this study. Then in accordance with study objectives we mention associated reading type, collection techniques and data sources. We also mention the sampling method and sampling size. The construction of vulnerability index is discussed in this chapter. Finally we conclude by mentioning the im pediments those we faced while accomplishing this study.Chapter four deals with the description of study area Koyra. We mention important information about geographical location, administration, topographic, physiographic and socioeconomic condition. We include a Disaster calendar for our study area that we made by collecting information from households.Chapter atomic number 23 deals with identification of climate change effects and quantification of socioeconomic vulnerability at local level of study area. In this we show possible climate change effects in the study area based on empirical data and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) findings. Later we quantify vulnerability for each union by applying the Vulnerability Index. We show union-wise vulnerability with the help of maps.Once we have quantified vulnerability, we conduct a number of econometric analyses in Chapter six-spot in order to show relationship between vulnerability and important socioeconomic parameters of study area. W e mention the major findings from analyses in two different tables. We also put brief explanation of models and variables used in this study.In Chapter seven we discuss the major findings obtained from model analyses in elaborated way. Here we also mention the possible reasons behind the nature and extent of relationship between vulnerability and socioeconomic parameters of study area. At the end of this chapter we check the consistency of vulnerability index by applying an alternative approach. Subsequent regression coefficients of alternative approach are also well-tried and compared with the old model results.Based on the results of relationship mentioned in chapter six and seven we recommend the optimal adaptation options for the affected people through brief description in Chapter eight. We also draw few of our recommendations on basis of correlation between different variables. The existing adaptation options in study area are also mentioned in Chapter eight.We conclude this study in Chapter nine. We summarize major findings from this study in a monstrosity shell. Besides, we focus on shortcomings of the approach we used to quantify vulnerability. In comely we mention the issues that we did not address in this study where further research can be conducted.