Climate change driven disaster risks in Bangladesh and its journey towards resilience

Abstract

Globally, disasters from natural and anthropogenic hazards or humanitarian crises can reverse development gains and weaken resilience. In recent years, some countries have made significant progress towards building resilience to disaster risks, including those driven by the climate crisis. Bangladesh is a leading example as it is well-known as one of the most vulnerable countries for its multifaceted hazard risks projected to intensity under climate change. Today, the scale of loss of human life from both rapid and slow-onset disasters (e.g. cyclone, flood and drought) is significantly lower than in the 1970s. This remarkable achievement was made possible by independence and the government�s proactive investment in development and societal changes through education, technologies and reduction in poverty and inequalities. However, the climate crisis is threatening these development and disaster risk reduction gains. In addition, disaster displacement is a major challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled both strengths and weaknesses in our societies. The article argues that disaster management plans need to adapt to the climate crisis and human displacement and reduce migrants� vulnerability while responding to infectious disease transmission.

The Anthropogenic Aggravation of Landslide Disasters in Bangladesh: Key Informants’ Perspectives

“…The urban hill dwellers in both districts are highly vulnerable to landslide disasters, mainly low-income jobholders, daily wage earners and small business owners. A good number of them are internally displaced persons (IDPs) and climate migrants (Sammonds et al 2021).…”

“…8 Landslide disasters occurred on 18 June 2022, killing two people in an urbanised hilly area in Chittagong metropolitan area. Source Fieldwork, the authors disadvantaged section of the society rush to the city/township for a better living (Sammonds et al 2021). While struggling with their daily basic needs, affording to live in a safer place becomes next to impossible for them.…”

An overview of disaster risk reduction and anticipatory action in Bangladesh

“…particularly for those engaged in small-scale agriculture. Given the contribution of the agriculture sector in the GDP of the country, if the current situation continues, droughts can potentially have a negative effect on Bangladesh's overall economy (Sammonds et al, 2021). Recently, water scarcity and drought like situation is also being witnessed in Chittagong Hill Tracts region (Barua 2022).…”

“…This failure led the GoB to bring about serious reforms to its disaster preparedness and response system. Such reforms caused a substantial decrease in the number of human lives lost against the overall climate-vulnerable context of the country, over the years (Sammonds et al, 2021). The growing prioritization of the GoB towards disaster management focusing on developing DRR centric national plans and policies has helped the country emerge as a global leader in Disaster Management (DM).…”

“…In the last 50 years, the development of embankments, cyclone shelters, coastal disaster resilience infrastructure, improved early warning systems, social awareness and community engagement have had crucial roles in disaster risk reduction (Sammonds et al, 2021). Such changes were progressively supported by the government, NGOs, private sectors, and development partners in Bangladesh.…”