Climate Change: Comparing Effects on Coastal and Urban Regions of Bangladesh

Abstract

"Climate change is an undeniable reality of the present. Studies show that among the most vulnerable of the World's localities are the coastal fringes of the tropics, of which Bangladesh happens to be one of the most threatened. A study has been undertaken comparing the changes of climate in the Dhaka region over a time span of 50 years. The Dhaka region which lies approximately 200 km inland from the coast of the Bay of Bengal, has been considered as representative of the deltaic plain of Bangladesh, presenting averages to the slightly more extreme conditions of the north of Bangladesh and the slightly less severe conditions of the coastal belt. The main effects of climate change are then investigated, while their reflection on the environment and lifestyles are analyzed. These changes are bringing about migrations, affecting the livelihoods of populations, and changes in settlements, and in the ways that the populations cope with the environment. Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is one of the most populated metropolises of the present-day World. With environment related problems more and more of the coastal and other affected populations are migrating to the city in search of work and shelter. This study looks into a particular region in the south of Bangladesh, Kuakata, and the settlement patterns of that coastal region and includes a summary of suggestions that can be undertaken to make settlements less vulnerable to the climate, and thus to stop environmental migration. Important questions require answers if one is to develop understanding of the social and environmental issues related to climate change and about ways in which settlement patterns are evolving to address these demands, adapting to new and very different surroundings. The discussion concludes with a comparison of the settlements of these diverse groups of populations, those in the coastal belt and those in the metropolis."