Climate Change and Human Migration in the southern Costal Region of Bangladesh

Report on

Climate Change and Human Mobility in context of the southern part of Bangladesh

Course Title: Climate Change

Course Code: ENS 411

Faculty of Disaster Management Patuakhali Science and Technology University

Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh

Prepared and Submitted By

Group-B

Members

Name Reg. No. ID. No.

Chhanda Rani 02506 0906007

S.M. Nizamul Islam 02507 0906008

Md. Sohel Mir 02508 0906009

Md. Afjal Hossain 02509 0906010

Rownak Jahan 02510 0906011

7th Semester (Level-4, Semester-I)

Session: 2009-2010

Faculty of Disaster Management

Submitted to:

Md. Abdus Sattar

Lecturer

Department of Resource Management

Faculty of Disaster Management

Patuakhali Science and Technology University


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Abstract

Climate change has become a topic of talk of time. Bangladesh due to different geo-social

aspect becomes one of the most vulnerable countries (MVCs) to the harsh reality of climate

change. The southern part of Bangladesh is one of the special pocket regions which suffer a

lot from the ravage devastation effect of climate change. Climate change is acting as a

distinct catalyst which accelerated the frequencies and intensities of natural disasters in the

recent past. These devastating natural disasters cause widespread loss of lives, damage of

properties and degrade the entire environment and ultimately people have lost their means of

livelihoods, habitat and finally they decide to leave from the place of their born to a safer

place for seeking a better livelihood options and opportunities for leading to a better and

steady living. Floods and others natural disasters in coastal region of Bangladesh are assumed

to cause migration in a simple manner: “A natural hazard displaces people by destroying their

land, houses and other tangible goods and assets” (Haque 1997, p. 48). This report is mainly

concentrated on to learn the relationship between climate change and human mobility. This

report investigates that how climate change directly or indirectly influenced people to be

migrated from their origin.

Key words: Climate change, Human mobility, Conflict, Livelihood security, Southern part


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Table of Contents

Abstract................................................................................................................................................................... 2

1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

1.2 General objective .............................................................................................................................................. 4

Specific objective ................................................................................................................................................... 4

1.3 Background of the study ................................................................................................................................... 5

1.3.1 Climate change and human mobility ......................................................................................... 5

1.3.2 Climate change, human mobility and southern part of Bangladesh ........................................... 5

1.4 Mode of Human mobility in southern region ................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Conceptual Model ............................................................................................................................................. 6

2.1.1 Climate change and livelihood security ..................................................................................... 6

2.1.2 Climate change and social conflict: conceptual model .............................................................. 7

3.1 Vulnerable groups and cause of Vulnerability .................................................................................................. 8

3.2 Causes of their vulnerabilities .......................................................................................................................... 8

3.2.1 Small/Marginal farmer, landless farmer’s vulnerabilities .......................................................... 8

3.2.2 Vulnerabilities of fishermen ....................................................................................................... 8

3.2.3 Child vulnerabilities ................................................................................................................... 8

3.2.4 Women’s vulnerabilities ............................................................................................................. 9

3.2.5 Specific vulnerability of the women folk ................................................................................... 9

3.2.6 Disable and elderly people ......................................................................................................... 9

3.3 Impact of climate change in the southern coastal region of Bangladesh .......................................................... 9

3.4 Future Projection of Climate Change Impacts in the southern part of Bangladesh ........................................ 10

3.5 Current human mobility status in southern region .......................................................................................... 11

3.6 Future .............................................................................................................................................................. 11

3.7 Current status of Climate change induced displaced people and their condition ............................................ 12

3.8 Relationship .................................................................................................................................................... 13

3.8.1 Loss of livelihood: Livelihood is mainly to unidirectional that means there is little or in ...... 13

3.8.2 How climate change effect on livelihood sector? ........................................................................................ 13

3.8.2.1 Agricultural land- Agriculture is one of the major ways of livelihoods earning of the ......... 13

3.8.2.2 Fresh water reservoir- Due to climate change and its associated risks and disasters ............ 13

3.8.2.3 Housing- Housing sector is very much vulnerable to different natural disasters. ................. 14

3.8.2.4 Social facilities and infrastructures- Presence of different social services and ..................... 14

3.8.2.5 Conflict- Climate change and its resultant different natural disaster exert acute .................. 14

3.8.2.6 Water and sanitation facilities- Water and sanitation facilities are other promising ............. 14

3.8.2.7 Livestock rearing facilities- Due to climate change and associated natural disaster ............ 14

4.1 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................... 15

4.2Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................... 15

References............................................................................................................................................................ 16


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Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Introduction

Bangladesh has been identified as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and

the resultant displacement of population from its coastal areas (Roy, 2008). Climate change is

a phenomenon already in progression in Bangladesh. It’s coastal region i.e. the southern part

of Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts because of its geographical

location, high population density, high levels of poverty, and the reliance of many livelihoods

on climate-sensitive sectors, particularly rural agriculture and fisheries. (Climate Change

Cell, DOE, June 2006). This country has already begun to lose considerable amount of its

landmass to the rising sea levels in the coastal areas (Rahman, 2009). The population in the

coastal belts are highly dependent upon agriculture, or land and as all these sectors are very

much climate change sensitive so that they become essay target of the nature’s rampage like

frequent floods, cyclones, riverbank erosion, saline water effect so to speak, thus the main

sources of livelihood is seriously disrupted and as a result people of the affected region are

forced to migrate from their living place to new destination for instance to already crowded

urban areas. This situation is adding further hardship on the resource constrained urban areas

of the country. A considerable amount of research has been conducted on the possible impact

of climate change on Bangladesh but there is lack of study to determine the nexus between

climate change and human mobility in context of southern coastal region of Bangladesh

which area is considered as the hotspots of climate change related impacts. In this context,

the paper proposes to study to determine how climate change poses the potential attribute to

influenced people to leave their place of residence to new place for the sake of better

livelihood options, better lifestyle and other essential amenities. To work with this context the

paper proposes to conduct a study in the coastal southern part of Bangladesh to see the impact

of climate change on migration. Some concrete recommendations for providing potential

solutions to human mobility mainly caused by climate change are provided at the end of the

report.

1.2 General objective

The main objective of the report is to know the relationship between climate change and

human mobility in context of the southern part of Bangladesh.

Specific objective

To identify the vulnerable groups to climate change in context of southern region of

Bangladesh;

To know the effect of climate change on different sectors in the southern region of

Bangladesh;

To find out the nexus between climate change, livelihood security, social conflict and

human mobility;

To provide some recommendations that may be treated as a good resort to managing

the problems.


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1.3 Background of the study

1.3.1 Climate change and human mobility The relation between climate change and human mobility gets attention from policymakers.

In the first assessment report of the IPCC in 1990, human mobility was presented as one of

the major consequences of climate change.

Current research indicates that migratory behaviors in response to climate change exhibits

considerable variation, ranging from massed forced displacement to gradual anticipatory

adaptive movement. It is believed that the large majority of people whose migration is fuelled

by climate change move relatively short distances and rarely across borders. Significant

numbers of people may end up trapped rather than displaced by climate change that in a

location where they are at risk yet unable to move away. In other situations, people migration

in response to climate change factors may actually no option but to move towards rather than

away from locations where they are vulnerable.

It can be realize that as a result of climate change 20 million people of Bangladesh will

become refugee by next 40 years. And there are no sufficient measures for their

rehabilitation. As a result of frequent disaster significant number of population leave their

own place for a safe life and livelihood. It increases the number of internal refugee and also

international refugee as well.

1.3.2 Climate change, human mobility and southern part of Bangladesh

The coastal areas of Bangladesh is different from rest of the country not only because of its

unique geo-physical characteristics but also for different socio-political consequences that

often limits people’s access to endowed resources and perpetuate risk and vulnerabilities.

Coastal areas include coastal plain islands, tidal flats, estuaries, neretic and offshore waters. It

extends to the edge of a wide (about 20 km) continental self. A vast river network, a dynamic

estuarine system and a drainage basin intersect the coastal zone, which made coastal

ecosystem as a potential source of natural resources, diversified fauna and flora composition,

though there also have immense risk of natural disasters. This coastal area represents an area

of 47,211 km2, 32 percent of the country’s geographical area, wherein 35 million people i.e.

28 percent of the country’s total population live at 6.85 million households (Population

census in 2001). In terms of administrative consideration, 19 districts out of 64 are considered

as coastal district. A study of IPPC (Inter Governmental Panel of Climate Change) in 2001

reveals that 20 percent and 40 percent of the world population live within 30 kilometers and

100 kilometers of the coast respectively, which is very true in regards to Bangladesh’s

perspective.(Climate Change Impact and Disaster Vulnerabilities in the Coastal Areas of

Bangladesh, COAST Trust, November 2007).

1.4 Mode of Human mobility in southern region

Human mobility is the movement of people from one place to another for the purpose of

taking up permanent or temporary residence. In the southern region of Bangladesh the study

finds variety of ways of human migration that directly or indirectly due to climate change and

associated phenomena of climate change. It can occur in two ways-

A. Voluntary migration: Where people can either choose to move.

B. Involuntary migration: Where people are forced to move.


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Migration occurs at a variety of scales-

1. Intercontinental (between countries)

2. Intraregional (between countries on a given continent)

3. Interregional (within countries)

4. Rural to urban migration (movement of people from the countryside to cities in search

of opportunities)

Chapter: 2 Methodology

This report is made based on the available present literature regarding this topic. Literature

are mostly present the effect of climate change only but not address the issues of climate

change related migration problem. This report finds the following conceptual framework as

the chain of climate change induced migration.

2.1 Conceptual Model

2.1.1 Climate change and livelihood security

Conceptual model: How does climate change disrupt the livelihood sector or system on the

present of climate change induced different phenomena? (Siddiqui, 2009)

Saline water intrusion, river

bank erosion, storm surges,

floods

Sector Agriculture

Climate change

effect/ pressure

Result Agricultural production loss, loss of livelihood, loss of daily income

Climate change-

recurrent event Detroit the condition

Secondary result Low income

Secondary result

Food insecurity

Secondary result

Poverty

Ultimate result Migration


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2.1.2 Climate change and social conflict: conceptual model

Climate change-exert pressure on scare natural resources-More people depend on this

resources-resource extraction directly or indirectly dominated by powerful elite of the

society-deprivation-low living status-poverty- social conflict, violence, and instability-

decision of migration

Example: freshwater issue

Sector

Problem

Water sector

Dominator Leader

Result

Social conflict

Distribution Dispute

Ultimate result

Deprivation

Secondary result

Social violence

Secondary result

Migration

Conflicting sector


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Chapter 3: Result and Discussion 3.1 Vulnerable groups and cause of Vulnerability

Global climate change is likely to affect everyone on the Earth to some degree, whether in the

form of social, psychological, economic or environmental change or a combination of these

(Siddiqui, 2009). Some people will invariably be more affected than others. Typically these

will be the poorest people and the most vulnerable communities who may have little

information about impending hazards and are often the least able to rebuild their lives and

livelihoods after having suffered a setback. Increasing conflicts over the distribution of scarce

resources and livelihood of billions of poor is threatened. The poor and vulnerable people of

southern coastal region of Bangladesh, treating as living in climate change hotspots, already

facing various natural disasters such as sea level rise, salinity intrusion, cyclone, storm surge,

flood, flash flood, river bank erosion and droughts (Climate Change Cell, DoE, June 2006).

The paper identified following social and vulnerable groups in the southern coastal region of

Bangladesh as most susceptible to climate change induced phenomena: (Source: Climate

Change Vulnerability in Bangladesh).

Small/Marginal farmer, landless, fisherman

Wage laborer, agricultural laborer, ethnic minority

Petty business and large business man

Disable, old person and widow

Poor, specially-woman and children

Small and medium entrepreneurs

Poor orphan, ultra poor and beggar man

Marginalized group people

3.2 Causes of their vulnerabilities

3.2.1 Small/Marginal farmer, landless farmer’s vulnerabilities

High temperature increase pest attack which reduce crops production

Irrigation problem due to drought

Flood or heavy rainfall damage crops

River erosion may destroy arable land and crop production

Increase seed price and availability

3.2.2 Vulnerabilities of fishermen

Death rate of shrimp’s fingerlings will increase

Diseases of fish may increase

Carps culture may reduce due to saline water intrusion in the ponds and surface

water bodies

Flood water often washed away carps

Sharply decrease the total amount of inland fish stock and its flow

3.2.3 Child vulnerabilities

Increase mortality and injury from extreme weather events

Stunted of physical and mental development

Risk of food insecurity and child malnutrition and increase susceptibility to

different diseases


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Disruptions in school attendance

Increase child labor and juvenile delinquency

Increase early marriage

3.2.4 Women’s vulnerabilities

The impacts of climate change will be falling more heavily on the women and girls of

Bangladesh particularly for coastal section women. Women’s contributions to rural

production activities include raising seedlings, gathering seeds, post-harvesting, cow

fattening and milking, goat farming, backyard poultry rearing, pisciculture, agriculture,

horticulture, food processing, cane and bamboo works, silk reeling, handloom weaving,

garment making, fishnet making, coir production and handicrafts. A significant number of

rural women, particularly from extremely poor landless households, also engage in paid labor

in construction and earthwork and field-based agricultural work, activities that traditionally

have fallen within the male domain. (Case Study: Gender Human Security and Climate

Change in Bangladesh Women’s Environment and Development Organization- WEDO,

2009).

3.2.5 Specific vulnerability of the women folk

Have to face the harsh effect of intra-household food insecurity

Droughts and flooding can be detrimental to women for keeping livestock or

poultry and homestead vegetable gardens which are the main sources of income

for rural women

Increase additional work to fetch water from a greater distance

Harassed by male in time of collecting water and staying in shelter

Provide extra care to ailing patients and comfort to children by counseling them

Lack of facilities in shelter

3.2.6 Disable and elderly people

Cannot move easily without other helps in a disaster period

Need extra care

Risk of diseases and death from thermal stress

Increase stress of work if they have no earning person in their family

3.3 Impact of climate change in the southern coastal region of Bangladesh

The changing climate impacts on society and ecosystems in a broader ways. For example

climate change can increase or decrease rainfall, influence agricultural crop yields, affect

human health, economy, cause changes to forests and other ecosystems or even impact our

energy supply.

The following impacts are observed on climate change in Bangladesh and southern coastal

region

Climate induced events in the southern coastal region of Bangladesh

River- bank erosion

Saline water intrusion

Drought

Persistent water logging

Flooding- tidal flooding


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Tropical cyclones and storm surges

Spread of diseases

Prolonged heat wave and cold wave

Erratic rainfall

Coastal inundation

(Source: Climate Variability and Change in Bangladesh Impacts, Vulnerability and

Risks, Key Facts, Climate Change Cell, 2006)

3.4 Future Projection of Climate Change Impacts in the southern part of

Bangladesh

Rainfall patterns are changed due to climate change – crops yields are expected to drop

significantly. Crop production will decrease 30% in 2100. Production of rice & wheat will

reduce 8.8%, and 32% within 2050 respectively (Climate Change Cell, DOE, June 2006).

There are 13% areas are salinity at Bagerhat, Khulna and Sathkhira, the southwestern coastal

districts of Bangladesh at present which will increase 16% in 2050 and 18% in 2100. Corals

are vulnerable to thermal stress. If the sea surface temperature increases 1-3° C then corals

bleaching will occur frequently (Climate Change Cell, DOE, June 2006).

About 75% area of mangrove forest, Sunderban (60,007 Sq. km) will submerse if the sea

level will increase 45 cm. If the sea level rise 1 m then the islands of Bay of Bengal and

whole Sunderland will destroy including its fauna & flora (Climate Change Cell, DOE, June

2006).

Death rate of shrimp’s fingerlings will increase if the water temperature is more than

32°C (CEGIS)

Diseases of fish may increase

Carps culture may reduce due to saline water intrusion in the ponds and open water

bodies as a result production of sweet water fish will shrink and extinct if the sea level

rise more floods are contaminating water.

Increasing water borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea etc.

More droughts are decreasing food production. Increasing malnutrition

More greenhouse gases are increasing air pollution. Rising respiratory diseases

Rise of temperature will favor for pest and pathogen that will increase dengue,

malaria, diarrhea etc.

Injuries, disabilities, psychosocial stress and death are becoming severe for more

floods, fires, droughts, heat waves & cyclones

High salinity in water will affect human health. In Bangladesh every year, rivers

engulf enormous agriculture fields and homesteads, makes the peoples homeless.

Those who have no way to live in the locality migrate to urban areas and live in slum

with unhygienic conditions.

If the sea level rise is taken place per the estimation –

Low-lying non-embankment coastal area may be completely inundated

It will increase the risk of coastal salinity

Scarcity of saline free drinking water will increase highly

Current agricultural practices will change


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3.5 Current human mobility status in southern region

Due to its unique geographic location, Bangladesh is one of the most climate vulnerable

countries on earth. Bangladesh suffers from frequent natural hazards – including tropical

cyclones and storm surges, river and coastal flooding, landslides and droughts. The frequency

and severity of these natural hazards – combined with the socio-economic situation of

Bangladesh leads to loss of life, homes and lands, damage to infrastructure and economic

assets and adversely impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people across the country.

Bangladesh’s vulnerability to natural hazards also leads to climate displacement – the forced

displacement of individuals and communities from their homes and lands. The primary

causes of climate displacement in southern part of Bangladesh are tidal height increases in the

coastal areas (leading to tidal flooding), water logging from cyclone driven storm surge, and

saline water intrusion and riverbank erosion in the mainland areas. The key secondary causes

of displacement are tropical cyclones and storm surges in the coastal regions and river

flooding in the mainland.

According to news of national geography society every year 10-15 million people are

migrated to the city area affected by disasters which is caused by climate change.

In the meantime as a result of cyclone Aila about two-third people of Koyra in Khulna are

migrated to Dhaka, Rangamati and Khulna sadar (Ecologist and Association of Climate

Refugee, 2011). In Rajapur Union of Bhola 650 people lost their house and land in 2009. In

2008 about 4200 people of Satkhira district were compelled to leave their region due to the

entrance of saline water caused by flood. In 1996 tribal Munda have seen in Shakbaria river

side of Khulna Sundarban region which were migrated as a result of river erosion in 2006.

Beside it, as a result of frequent natural disaster people of coastal part get more damaged.

Many children become orphan losing their parents. Their education becomes stopped.

Ultimately they become a burden of the country. An international institution German Watch

(2010) noticed that on an average 8,241 people died as a result of climate change in

Bangladesh.

These migrated people become overburden in big cities specially Dhaka city. In 1974 the

population of Dhaka city was 177,000 whereas in 2006 it increases in 16,000,000. According

to World Bank by 2020 the population of Dhaka city will be 20 million. In this issues climate

change will play an important role because many people will be migrated and they will take

their destination in Dhaka.

3.6 Future

Currently, almost 40 million people live in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Loss of coastal

land to the sea in this vulnerable zone – currently predicted to reach up to 3% by the 2030s,

6% in the 2050s and 13% by 2080 – is likely to generate a steady flow of displaced people

(Tahera, 2009).

The trend of major flood occurrences indicates that one major event has been hitting the

country every 3 years from 1990 to 2009. This used to hit every 4 years between 1970 and

1989. Data over the last 20 years (1990-2009) reveals that Bangladesh has been experiencing

major cyclones almost every year since 1990, which was used be every 3 years between 1970

and 1989 (Source: BBS, 2007). According to the ranking of International Strategy for


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Disaster Reduction, in terms of human exposure, Bangladesh is the most vulnerable country

to floods, the third most to tsunami and the sixth most to cyclones. Flood is the biggest

disaster, displacing one-fourth of the total population. The rate of increase over the years is

about 6% of the total population on average. With respect to human exposure to cyclones, the

percentage of displacements is low (about 2% of the population). Future displacement has

been estimated on the basis of population growth (UNDP, 2008) and the proportions of

displacement. Floods being the dominant contributor in population displacement, they have

been considered to estimate future displacements. In this case, proportions of displacement by

cyclone and drought are kept constant, considering lower proportions compared to flood.

Therefore, Bangladesh is expected to have massive environmental displacement, which is

calculated to be about 49 million, 63 million and 78 million in 2010, 2015 and 2020

respectively. The growth in environmental displacement is found to be 42% of the total

populations in 2020, a startling fact indeed. Bangladesh has already been facing 1 or 2 severe

disasters every year. For instance, 2007 is well recognized for the impact of two disasters,

floods and Cyclone Sidr. A dire outcome for Bangladesh with a combination of 3 or more

major natural events in the future may not be a total surprise for Bangladesh. Such

environmentally displaced people are not only becoming homeless, but their livelihoods are

also being threatened. These circumstances make them economically vulnerable, leading to

increased poverty and insecurity (Tahera, 2009).

3.7 Current status of Climate change induced displaced people and their

condition

The consequences of cyclone Aila (2009) in terms of human mobility

The cyclone Aila, which struck on 25 May 2009, caused enormous loss of properties,

infrastructure, social and economic disruption, environmental degradation, etc. in the coastal

areas of Bangladesh. A total of 190 people were killed and estimated 4.82 million people

were affected in total 11 coastal districts (Tahera, 2009).

The cyclone and tidal surges collapsed the coastal embankments at several points inundating

the vast areas (DMB 2009). The houses, livestock, assets, crops, etc. were washed away by

the floodwater. Over 1,700 km of flood embankments have been damaged by the cyclone and

tidal surges. The people, who lost everything, left their homesteads and took shelter in the

makeshift houses on roads, damaged embankments, markets, growth center, schools or even

open sky (Sarawat 2009). The embankments, built in the 1960s, had been a source of

protection to the coastal people from the rivers and tidal flooding (Sarawat 2009). For the last

20-30 years, these embankments had been cut at several points to enter the saline water to the

cultivable lands for shrimp cultivation. Besides, these embankments had not been maintained

properly for past years by the concerned authority. Therefore, these vulnerable embankments

had breached easily against the recent cyclone Aila inundating the large area and making

thousands of people homeless. The precarious situation created by cyclone Aila has resulted

in increased migration to the cities or other areas. More than 400,000 people have been

reportedly displaced by the cyclone in the coastal areas of Bangladesh (Wapedia 2010).

According to the ECHO (European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office) partners’

assessment, about 40,000 people migrated due to Cyclone Aila from the Koyra upazila (sub-

district) of Khulna District in Bangladesh (ECHO 2009). The figure is around 30,000 in

Paikgacha, 18,000 in Dacope and 12,000 in Batiaghata upazila. International Organization for

Migration has estimated that a number of 11,118 families in Dacope upazila and 5,533

families in Koyra upazila were displaced in November 2009 (IOM 2010). Along with the

internal displacement, some people of the coastal areas are reported to migrate to the

neighboring countries like India (Gain 2010). Even after one year of cyclone Aila (as of


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August, 2010), most of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been living on damaged

embankments and other high strips of land. Poor has become extremely poor and many non-

poor have been thrown into poverty and food insecurity by the destruction of Aila (Mallick

2009). As the drinking water sources and sanitary latrines have been damaged, people are

living in unhealthy and unhygienic condition without adequate food, pure drinking water and

proper sanitary facilities (Dhaka Mirror, 2010). The cyclone Aila caused huge damages of

ponds, where community people used to store sweet water between September and

November each year and use that water for the rest of the year.

3.8 Relationship

Factors influence migration

3.8.1 Loss of livelihood: Livelihood is mainly to unidirectional that means there is little

or in some case no variations at all. People of this part of the country are mainly depend on

environmental resources for their livelihoods. Most of the people depend on agriculture,

fisheries and its associated sectors. As all these sectors are treated as climate sensitive sectors

so that there always prevailing the changes being of damaged of these sectors and its output

from the ravage impact of different natural disasters like floods, storm surges, cyclones, river

bank erosion ,agricultural drought and associated risks as well. The main occupation of the

most of the people in this region is mainly based on agriculture and fisheries and its

associated processing activities. As there lack of livelihood variation there always chance of

livelihood insecurity that ultimate reproduced other related problems.

3.8.2 How climate change effect on livelihood sector?

Main occupation status of the region is as follows: agriculture, fishing, day-laborer, small and

medium business, service holders and others.

3.8.2.1 Agricultural land- Agriculture is one of the major ways of livelihoods earning of

the coastal population. Agriculture and its associated sub-sectors are very much susceptible

to climate change and different natural disasters like floods, storm surges, saline water

intrusion, river bank erosion, and drought and so on. Due to climate change and as a result of

increased frequency of natural disaster seriously harm the agricultural production in different

ways. As most of the people depends on the agricultural production when they find their

agricultural practices become very difficult to continue due to ravage impact of climate

induced disasters like long-period flood, saline water intrusion, drought, pest attack, river

bank erosion etc. as a result they will think alternatively and they try to get remedy from this

problems by applying different adaptation strategies and in this process migration is treated as

a good option.

3.8.2.2 Fresh water reservoir- Due to climate change and its associated risks and disasters the fresh water reservoirs are seriously affected in variety of ways. As climate change poses the phenomenon of sea- level rise that leads to occurrence of different disasters in massive and frequent scale influenced people to migrate from the affected region. Due to climate change there be saline water ingress into the fresh water reservoir in the southern part of Bangladesh and contaminated the all surface fresh water sources and as the same time the underground water sources as well as a result there prevailing great crisis of pure drinking water, it also impact on the inland freshwater fishing production and affect the livelihoods of fishing community of the country. Again this will disrupt the irrigation for agricultural works as a result agricultural will gets great stress. All these effects influenced the people lining in


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the area to migrate to safer place which can provide them better opportunities of occupation and other facilities. This same sort of result is finding in the different coastal district like Satkira, Patuakhali, Borguna, Bagherhat which areas seriously affected by devastating natural disasters like cyclone Sidr and Alia in the recent past. These sort of climate change influenced events produced huge amounts of climate migrants in that regions.

3.8.2.3 Housing- Housing sector is very much vulnerable to different natural disasters. People of the southern part of Bangladesh always experience devastating cyclone, flood, and river bank erosion and so on, all these directly and indirectly impact on the living shelter. As people lost their houses they are somehow influenced to leave the place and as these sort of disasters happening again and again people have no other option to do. It is well recognized when a community faces same type of disasters and their capacity is limited to build resilient infrastructure they are interested to leave the place as a result migration is taken place.

3.8.2.4 Social facilities and infrastructures- Presence of different social services and infrastructural facilities attract people to come and lead living in an area, in the same manner lack of the services influenced people or make them reluctant to leave the places. Different climate change induced natural disasters with ever dirtying power affect not only the agriculture or related sectors but it also affect the social and other infrastructure of the southern part of Bangladesh. Study shows different natural disasters bring immense loss to social and other communication infrastructure in a massive scale like destroy school, hospitals, mosque and other religious places, roads, bridges, embankment and others all these supports a lot to the residence to lead live but as disasters hammer this again and again people influenced to leave their place of origin to new place for better living.

3.8.2.5 Conflict- Climate change and its resultant different natural disaster exert acute pressure on the limited resource in the southern coastal region of Bangladesh. As there is limited resource stock for huge population, ultimate result of completion over scare resource and its lead to conflict and finally the poorer people cannot survive in this completion and they are finally influenced to leave the place.

3.8.2.6 Water and sanitation facilities- Water and sanitation facilities are other promising sector which is very much affected by the devastating natural disaster in the southern coastal region of Bangladesh. Natural disasters highly destroy these facilities and people somehow influenced to leave the place coupled with realizing the other problems like food insecurity.

3.8.2.7 Livestock rearing facilities- Due to climate change and associated natural disaster pose very much threats to livestock sectors specially that are at domestic level. The southern part of Bangladesh represents huge possession of livestock by each family as this region is agrarian. Climate change exert huge pressure on the fodder supply of the livestock and bring different diseases for the livestock, aspeople losing their tools of agriculture and income source their chances of food insecurity and livelihood insecurity and they are interested to leave the place where they can find suitable solutions of this problem and ultimately they decide to leave the place.


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Chapter 4: Conclusion and Recommendations

4.1 Conclusion

Climate change will increase the trend of migration in near future with a massive scale.

Due to different geo-social characteristics and vulnerabilities the southern part of Bangladesh

will experience severe disasters and its effects will be increased with the climate change

phenomena resultant of huge climate migrants. It is important to find out appropriate and

sustainable solutions for these displaced people. It is certain that climate change induced

displacement will paramount in the near future as the area already experiencing different

severe natural disasters with increased frequencies and intensities. It is assumed that there is a

clear and direct relation of occurrence of natural disasters in large and massive scale to

climate change. So it is crying need to develop and some cases to revise the existing polices

and to conduct further research to know the solution of this problems in a sustainable and

perfect manner.

4.2 Recommendations

Some concrete recommendations for providing potential solutions to human mobility mainly

caused by climate change

Communication and coordination between GOs, affected communities and

other relevant stakeholders

To provide increased support and engagement of national, regional and

international communities for betterment of livelihoods and settlements of

climate induced human mobility

Policies, strategies and programs should be implemented up to 100%

transparency and accountability

Cluster village model may be explored as an effective tool to resettle to

climate refugees

Diversification of livelihoods and patterns of agriculture and associated others

as well reinforcing the structural measures

Encourage different adaptation techniques

Use of different locally available material to reinforce the system susceptible

to climate induced ravage events

Incorporation and practice of agriculture that will capable to survive and

revive with the changing climate

Need to build public awareness and education for sustainable solution of this

problem

International migration of the family member from affected family to climate

change

Migration to other region where population density is relatively less against

region from where people are migrated

Integration among different sectors of the government

Engagement and support from the regional and international communities for

climate displacement in Bangladesh should be enhanced


16

References

Akter, T. (2009), Climate Change and Flow of Environmental Displacement in Bangladesh,

Unnayan Onneshan-The Innovators, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Naser, M. M. Climate Change, Environmental Degradation, and Migration: A Complex

Nexus, Wm. & Mary Envtl. L. &Pol'y Rev. 713 (2012),

http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmelpr/ vol36/iss3/4

Rashid A.K.M.M. (2009), Climate Change Vulnerability in Bangladesh, Dustha Shastha

Kendra (DSK), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Reuveny, R. (2007), Climate change-induced migration and violent conflict, Journal of

Elsevier, Political Geography, (2007), 26: 656-673.

Roy, D. C. Vulnerability and population displacements due to climate-induced disasters in

coastal Bangladesh (2008), Centre for Geo-informatics (Z_GIS), University of

Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria.

Sabine L. Perch-Nielsen &Michèle B. Bättig& Dieter Imboden (2008), Exploring the link

between climate change and migration, Journal of Climatic Change, 91:375–393.

Siddiqui, T. (2009), Climate changes and Population Movement: the Bangladesh case

RMMRU, University of Dhaka.

Addressing Climate Change and Migration in Asia and the Pacific, (2012), Asian

Development Bank, Philippines

Climate change and Bangladesh, Climate Change Cell, Department of Environment & Forest,

Bangladesh.

IPCC 3rd Assessment Report, 2001.

Climate Displacement in Bangladesh, The Need for Urgent Housing, Land and Property

(HLP), (2012), Rights Solutions.

Ecologist and Association of Climate Refugee, 2011

Human Security, Climate Change and Environmentally Induced Migration, (2008), Institute

for Environment and Human Security United Nations University.

Mobility and Migration- A Guidance Note for Human Development Report Teams, (2010),

UNDP, Human Development Report Office.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Climate Change: Impacts,

Vulnerabilities and Adaptation in Developing Countries, UNFCCC.

http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmelpr/


17

Appendix-1 Group Meeting-1

Dated: 16.01.2013(Wednesday)

Time: 11:00 AM-12:00 PM

Venue: Disaster Management

Class room D/101

Chair: Md. Afjal Hossain (Reg. No.-02509)

Secretary: S.M. Nizamul Islam (Reg. No.-02508) Agenda:

-Setting of the report’s main objectives and

specific objectives

-Distribution of the task regarding the report

Decision:

Task distribution

ID.No. Name Task

Combined task

Abstract

Introduction

Conclusion

Recommendations

References

0906007 Chhanda Rani Vulnerable group to climate change induced hazards and

disasters;

0906008 S.M. Nizamul Islam

Materials and Methods

Nexus between climate change, human mobility and

conflict

Climate change and livelihood security

0906009 Md. Sohel Mir

Effects of Climate change in general essence in the context

of southern region of Bangladesh

Specific vulnerability of the coastal people to climate

change

0906010 Md. Afjal Hossain

Materials and Methods

Climate change and southern part of Bangladesh

Future climate change induced human mobility in southern

part

Present living status of people affected by previous climate

induced disasters

Issues related to climate induced disasters and displaced

people

0906011 RownakJahan

Climate change and human Mobility in the southern part of

Bangladesh

Mode of Human mobility in the southern part of Bangladesh

Current climate change induced human mobility in the

southern region


18

Group Meeting-2

Dated: 27.02.2013(Wednesday)

Time: 2:30 PM-4:00 PM

Venue: Central Shaheed Minor

Basement of PSTU

Chair: Md. Sohel Mir (Reg. No.-02508)

Secretary: RownakJahan (Reg. No.-02510)

Agenda:

-Identifying the impact of climate change

-Climate Change and Human Mobility and Conflict Relation Linkup

-Climate change and livelihood security and models

Decision and outcome:

Effects: 2 types

1. Direct example - river erosion etc.

2. Indirect example – Productivity damage, Food livelihood pattern change, impact on

humanity etc.

Chhanda: Vulnerable group identification and causes of vulnerabilities i.e. Farmer,

Fisherman, Small trade, Child, Women, Disable, Day labor, Marginalized group etc.

Afjal: Farmer climate sensitivity, productions hamper etc.

COMMENTS

On behalf of GROUP: D

The topic you are selected for this report is very appropriate for this time in the context of

climate change in southern region in Bangladesh. Its help to identify the impact of climate

change and the number of migrate people of southern region. It would be better if you add

more some recommendation than other parts of this report. I think it’s too large to understand

and it would be better if this report would complete in shortly. Overall I think this report is

fruitful with making good combination in all parts. It’s pretty good.

Documents

Climate Change and Human Migration in the southern Costal Region of Bangladesh