CCSI 2014

1. Climate Change and its impact on
livelihood of coastal people in
Bangladesh
Russell Kabir
Doctoral Student
Department of Economics and
International Development
Middlesex University London

2. Global Perspective of Climate Change
• Climate Change is global phenomenon;
• Average global rise in temperature of 1.4 degree
C to 5.8 degree C between 1990 and 2100;
• Changes in sea levels; projected to rise between
.09 and .88 meters by 2100 relative to 1990
• Climate change is very likely to increase the
frequency and magnitude of extreme weather
events such as cyclones drought and floods.
• Its negative impacts are more severely felt by
poor people and poor countries;

3. Background
• The new Climate Change vulnerability index
(CCVI) ranked Bangladesh as the no 1 extreme
risk country to Climate Change.
• Bangladesh is at risk because of its
- Geographic location
- Flat and low lying topography
- High population density
- Reliance on many livelihoods on climate
sensitive sectors particularly agriculture and
fisheries.

4. The coastal region of
Bangladesh is situated
in the South of the
country.
The total length of
Bangladesh coast line
is 710 Km long.
Coastal area covers
32% of country’s total
areas.
40 million people/ 28%
of country’s population
The Coast of
Bangladesh

5. Climate Change Impacts
• Cyclone/storm surge: increased
frequency, intensity, increasing salinity
• Floods: increased frequency, magnitudes
• Droughts: Spreading over time and space
• Erratic rainfall: Intensive rain in short time
• Temperature: extremes increasing
• Riverbank and coastal erosion: increasing
• Sea Level Rise (SLR)

6. CClliimmaattee cchhaannggee iimmppaacctt iinn BBaannggllaaddeesshh
Water logging
Drought
Flood
Cyclone Storm surge, salinity
Bank erosion
Erosion

7. Cyclones in Bangladesh
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THAKURGAON NILPHAMARI
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JOYPURHAT
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BANGLADESH
Cyclone Prone Areas
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NETROKONA
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PABNA
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NARAYANGANJ
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SHARIATPUR
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BHOLA
RANGAMATI
SYLHET
KHULNA
BAGERHAT
CHITTAGONG
NOAKHALI
BOGRA
TANGAIL
SATKHIRA
BANDARBAN
DINAJPUR
COMILLA
NAOGAON
SUNAMGANJ
MYMENSINGH
BARISAL
JESSORE
COXS BAZAR
PATUAKHALI
RAJSHAHI
HOBIGANJ
RANGPUR
NATORE
SIRAJGANJ
DHAKA
KURIGRAM
JAMALPUR
GAZIPUR
GAIBANDHA
FENI
KUSHTIA
KISHOREGANJ
MOULVI BAZAR
FARIDPUR
KHAGRACHHARI
BARGUNA
JHENAIDAH
PIROJPUR
CHANDPUR
NAWABGANJ
RAJBARI
SHERPUR
GOPALGANJ
NARAIL
BRAHMANBARIA
MANIKGANJ
LAKSHMIPUR
PANCHAGARH
MAGURA
NARSINGDI
MADARIPUR
LALMONIRHAT
CHUADANGA
JHALAKATI
MEHERPUR
MUNSHIGANJ
Bay of Bengal
INDIA
MYANMAR
INDIA
INDIA
Cyclone Zone
Zone 1
Zone 2
Zone 3
N
W E
S
Frequency of cyclones has
increased significantly due
to Climate change
Major cyclones in 1970,
1985, 1991 and 1997 resulted
in over 500,000 deaths.
Cyclone Sidr 2007
responsible for > 3,178
deaths. Cyclone Aila 2009
responsible for > 190 deaths
Up to 36 million people are
physically exposed
periodically and 15 coastal
districts are cyclone prone

8. Aim of the Research
To investigate the characteristics of the
respondents in the climate change affected
coastal areas of Bangladesh.

9. Why characteristics?
• Policymakers don’t care about ppm or
(RCPs).And they don’t care about +2 either.
If they care, the care about impacts.

10. Methodology
• Study Design: Descriptive Cross-Sectional
Study
• Study Place: South West coastal part of
Bangladesh .
• Target Population: Coastal population.
• Sample Size:1000 households using Simple
Random Sampling Technique.
• Quantitative data collected using
Questionnaire Survey.

11. Methodology (Continue…)

12. Methodology (Continue..)

13. Methodology(Continue..)

14. Summary of Findings
• Main occupation of the respondents –
agriculture(30%) and fishing (17%).
• 83% women of these households look after their
families and children.
• Average monthly income of these households
are between in US dollar 25-65.
• In both the areas the main source of drinking
water is deep tubewell.
• Most of the households use pit or slab latrine
and some of them use open latrine.

15. Drinking Water
Distance travelled to fetch drinking water Sidr Aila
Does not apply 8.7% 4.9%
More than 100m 52.0% 52.0%
Less than 100m 39.3% 40.5%
Person responsible for fetching drinking
water
Sidr Aila
Husband 2.4% 1.1%
Wife 80% 65.5%
Sons 4.4% 2.6%
Daughters 3.4% 5.8%
Others 5.8% 19.8%
No one 4.6% 5.3%

16. Shelter

17. Knowledge about Climate Change
Variables Frequency Percentage (%)
Heard about climate change
Sidr
Yes
No
Aila
Yes
No
437
67
421
48
86.7
13.3
89.8
10.2
Where heard about climate change
Television
Radio
Newspaper
Friends or relatives
From Government Agencies
From Non-government Agencies
336
205
56
695
138
401
34.5
21.1
5.8
71.4
14.2
41.2
Pattern of weather is generally changing
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
463
477
15
4
14
47.6
49.0
1.5
0.4
1.4
Last 10 years seen changes in weather pattern
Yes
No
955
18
98.1
1.8

18. Changes Observed

19. Experiences of the Coastal Population
Variables Frequency Percentage (%)
Climate change is affecting health
To a great extent
Somewhat
Very little
Not at all
591
332
20
30
60.7
34.1
2.1
3.1
Climate change is causing-
Sidr
Changes of livelihood
Reduction of income
Loss of employment
Reduction of job opportunities
Reduction of crop yield
Increased food price
Increase of family’s other expenses
Hardship increased in daily life
No impact
Aila
Changes of livelihood
Reduction of income
Loss of employment
Reduction of job opportunities
Reduction of crop yield
Increased food price
Increase of family’s other expenses
Hardship increased in daily life
No impact
473
412
233
188
475
462
424
444
1
439
436
242
212
430
415
430
441
5
93.8
81.7
46.2
37.3
94.2
91.7
84.1
88.1
0.2
93.6
93.0
51.6
45.2
91.7
88.5
91.7
94.0
1.1

20. Conclusion
• The coastal population of Bangladesh already facing
devastating effect of climate change.
• The coastal people is aware of the changing climate
and its effect on their lives.
• Climate change induced natural disasters affecting
their livelihoods, destroying the agricultural land and
forcing them to change their jobs and indirectly
affecting their food consumption and overall health.
• Immediate adaptation and mitigation measures
should be adopted to help these people and
including strengthening the infrastructure at coastal
areas to combat with these kind of natural calamities.

21. References
• Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).(2005). Compendium of Environment
Statistics of Bangladesh.Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Disaster Management Bureau.(2010). National Plan for Disaster Management
2010-2015. Government of the People`s Republic of Bangladesh. Dhaka,
Bangladesh.
• Kumar, R. (2011). Research Methodology: A step-by-step guide for the
beginners. 3rd ed. London: Sage Publications. P31.
• Mizan, M.R., and Bijoy, M.R.,(2009) . Future Direction For Bangladesh in Climate
Change Adaptation and Mitigation. Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Maplecroft News (2011). Big economies of the future - Bangladesh, India,
Philippines, Vietnam and Pakistan - most at risk from climate change. [Online]
Available from: http://maplecroft.com/about/news/ccvi.html [Accessed on
12/06/2013]
• World Health Organization (WHO). Climate change impacts on health. Available
at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2003/pr91/en/ [ Accessed on
11/06/2013]

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