Climate oddities: Bangladesh case
Climate change impact can cause increased flooding.
Despite claims of late that polar ice and mountain glaciers would not melt at the dreaded rate apprehended, Bangladesh remains one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts as before. Its low lying coastal belt just gets inundated whenever there is even a mild cyclone surge from the Bay. Only half of the calculated rise in the sea level due to envisaged lesser melting of polar ice would render quite a sizable of its population climate refugee. All the rivers flowing through Bangladesh are sourced in the Himalayas. Only slight increase in the glacier melting would pump considerable extra amount of water in them causing unprecedented flooding in the plains. The severity may surpass that of any experienced earlier. These and other assumed abnormality accompanying climate change are supposed to invigorate our sense of preparedness. We have time and again been visited by sea surges and floods, tornados and cyclones. We are experienced and resilient, too. We are competent of taking both mitigation and adaptation programmes vis-a-vis assumed and calculated climate change impacts. But implementation of any such programme would entail very big expenditure because of its extended size in consideration of the enormity of the impact. Bangladesh being a poor developing country has little capacity to meet such huge expenses by itself. Therefore there have been fund pledges promised at the COP15 Copenhagen. But much more would be required for the giant tasks to be undertaken. And for that we must be prepared without wasting any more time. There were also suggestions for taking local initiatives at the conference. Well, local initiative is a must not only for the required self financing but also for proper utilisation of the incoming fund. But all these efforts taken at so much pain and cost may not be sustainable if the emission is not cut -- if the process of human induced global warning is not contained. There was, however, promise of cutting emission -- reducing the warming upto 2°C above pre-industrial level by 2050. But there is no legal binding. Would the nations abide by their promise in absence of any mandate, many still doubt. So, there must be effective and visible emission control measures undertaken by the industrialised developed countries, and also by emerging industrial giants like China and India. There is no other way out for our survival. The cut must be ensured. And also further funding for the most vulnerable. Meanwhile rise of temperature is not only melting ice and glacier, it is also causing erratic extreme weather conditions -- la nina el-nino effects leading to increased frequency of cyclones and sea surges. These extremities due to global mean temperature rise will also affect Bangladesh, and that to the further suffering of the affected population. A sizeable population is sure to be victims of climate change effects -- sea level rise and accentuated riparian flooding. These floods will cause wider inundation for longer time vis-a-vis sea level rise, rendering much of the country's crop fields, infrastructures and settlements damaged to the greater woes of the vulnerable population. Then the sea level rise must push a considerable chunk of coastal population upward. Not only because of the submerging shoreline but also for salinity intrusion much further. This huge number of internally displaced people would need immediate shelter, also for their cattle and poultry that provide them livelihood. The crop as well as cropland loss would only increase food insecurity and non-provision of these soon would simply aggravate the situation. Major part of the world heritage site, the Sundarbans mangrove forest, will be lost certainly with its precious flora and fauna. And part of the famous Cox's Bazar shore will also be lost to the detriment of our tourism industry. Then there would be mounting health problem with obvious increase in infection rates of old diseases and introduction of new diseases in the compulsive unhealthy and changed weather condition. The odds are apparently too enormous to face and overcome even with all promised international supports and all out local efforts. Yet we as a people and Bangladesh as a country have to survive. Let the enormity of both the tasks, mitigation and adaptation, only increase our resilience and determination. Let us chalk out programmes now, without losing even a day. First, there must be a transparent fund receiving and utilisation system in place. For appropriate investment and utilisation of resources ensure proper implementation of projects and programmes. Then there should be undertaken a total awareness programme to make the people, specially those vulnerable, understand the scourge in its bits and enormity. This would create eagerness among them for adaptation and mitigation. Then they have to be provided with necessary training for undertaking the programmes. These are preparations that would embolden us with capacity to face eventualities with prudence. Survive we must bracing the brunt.
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