Impacts and Adaptation in Low-Income Settlements in Bangladesh A presentation by PhD candidate Sally Cawood at Gobeshona Climate Change Conference in Dhaka.

1. The Lived Experience of Climate Change
Impacts and Adaptation in Low-Income
Settlements in Bangladesh
Sally Cawood
IDPM, University of Manchester
sally.cawood@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

2. Talk Outline
1. Overview: Urban Poverty and Climate Change
2. Bangladesh Context
3. ClimUrb Project (2010-2013)
3.1. Climate Change Impacts in Khulna (Parvin, A et al)
3.2 Household Adaptation Strategies in Dhaka (Banks, N)
3.3. Water Scarcity in Paikgachha and Kalaroa (Opel, A)
4. Conclusions

3. 1. Urban Poverty and Climate Change
‘One billion people across the world live
in informal settlements, lacking
infrastructure, basic services, and
secure housing, and are therefore
particularly at risk to the impacts of
climate change’
(Mitlin and Satterthwaite, 2014)

4. 2. Bangladesh Context
(Eusuf, 2010 in Banks et al, 2011: 488)

5. 3. ClimUrb (2010-2013): Examples
• Urban poor face increasing levels of vulnerability due
to the impacts of climate change related hazards (e.g.
sea level rise, increased cyclone activity, intense heat,
unpredictable rainfall and flooding).
• Rapid migration to urban areas is fuelled by the
destruction of rural assets and livelihoods,
• Climate variability exacerbates poverty and exposure
to minor shocks and major disasters in low-income
settlements. But...
...What is the lived experience of climate change for
individuals, households and communities in low-
income settlements?

6. 3.1. Climate Change Impacts in Rupsha
Slum, Khulna (Parvin, A et al)
• Research Aim: To explore the impact of Climate Change and Adaptive
Practices in Rupsha Slum, Khulna
• Methods: Exploratory case study (interviews, FDGs, transect walks, socio-
spatial surveys and observations)
• Key Findings
- Adaption in three spatial domains: settlement, livelihood and dwelling unit,
- Top down, expert led planning neglects innovative practices of urban poor
and results in inadequate policy responses,
- Analysis of the built environment is central to understanding past, present
and future impacts of, and adaptation to, climate change.

7. 3.2. Household Adaptation Strategies,
Dhaka (Banks, N)
• Research Aim: To investigate coping strategies of urban poor households
(HHs) in four low-income settlements in central and peripheral Dhaka
• Methods: 22 FGDs, community surveys (420 HHs) and 77 in-depth
interviews with ‘coping’ and ‘improving’ HHs
• Key Findings
- HHs face endemic social, economic, political and climate insecurity,
- Vulnerability varies considerably, with coping capacity reinforced (or
blocked) by internal stratification and informal governance,
- Lived experience as ‘household-community-state’ interface,
- Heterogeneity within communities overlooked.

8. 3.3. Water Scarcity in Paikgachha and
Kalaroa (Opel, A)
• Research Aim: To Investigate the impacts of climate change on (safe) water
availability in two coastal urban centres Paikgachha and Kalaroa
• Methods: In-depth case studies (secondary materials, observations)
• Key Findings
- Urban population growth, climate change and water scarcity interlinked,
- Unequal access for low-income residents who cannot afford private
vendors at 321% higher cost than government subsidized water sources,
- Severe implications of water salinity and contamination for urban poor,
especially those who use deep tube wells,
- Relocation only viable option? Future logistical, economic and ethical
dilemmas.

9. 4. Conclusions
• Three Key Observations
(i) Climate change is (and will be) contributing to increased levels of urban
poverty in Bangladesh and other developing nations,
(ii) Climate change exacerbates existing challenges facing poorer citizens and
will bring new (direct and indirect) problems and,
(iii) Effectiveness of the urban poor’s adaptation practices depends on the
degree of interplay between people, resources and institutions.
• Policy Implications and Ways Forward
-Doable actions, pragmatic policies and provocative ideas
-Feasibility, practicality and desirability.

10. - Thank You -
Sally Cawood
IDPM, University of Manchester
sally.cawood@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk