Estimation of Household-Level Economic Penalties Resulting From Climate Change-Induced Events Among the Coastal Fisher of Bangladesh

Abstract

Climate change-induced (CCI) calamities have immense negative impacts on coastal fishers’ livelihoods by damaging and losing their household and fishery-related assets. This study aimed to determine household-level economic penalties due to CCI calamities of the coastal fisher and other coastal fishery actors of Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 338 coastal fisher and other coastal fishery actors living in 11 coastal districts using a random sampling technique. Results showed that the males outnumbered females [84.6% vs. 15.4%], with almost all (99.1%) living below the poverty line. Findings also showed that the coastal fisher and other coastal fishery actors had to struggle against at least three (3.12 ± 1.28) CCI catastrophes in the past five years and the yearly estimated household-level or individual partial financial penalties using ECLAC (United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) methodology of the studied population was around BDT 18,121 (±14,367). CCI incidences such as increased number of disaster found very much significantly associated with domestic asset damage (95% C.I., χ2 = 17.75, p = <0.001) and loss in fisheries (95% C.I., χ2 = 20.72, p= <0.001]. Similarly, medium to high severity of disasters (95% C.I., χ2 = 5.24, p= 0.030) and increased winter cold shock (95% C.I., χ2 = 4.83, p= 0.032) were also significantly associated with the impoverished status of coastal fishers of Bangladesh. Climate-resilient coastal management and livelihood improvement policies implementing by the relevant authorities could reduce impending economic penalties for coastal fishing communities.