Assignment No.

1
Name: Ehsan Samiul Ayon
ID: 210011120
Section: ME(A)
 (a)
Among the crisis mentioned in the question, I am facing the crisis such as- Environmental
degradation, natural disasters, weather extremes, food and water insecurity, economic disruption,
sea level rising etc. in my country Bangladesh.
Effects on the natural environment
Bangladesh is known for its vulnerability to climate change and more specifically to natural
disasters. It is important to mention the fact that the location of the country is vulnerable for the
presence for three powerful rivers, Asian rivers, Brahmaputra, Ganges and the Meghna along
with their numerous tributaries that could result massive floods.
Temperature and weather changes

Current/past Köppen climate classification map for Bangladesh for 1980–2016

Predicted Köppen climate classification map for Bangladesh for 2071–2100
Extreme weather events and natural disaster
From a prehistoric age, Bangladesh has faced numerous natural disasters in every decade but due
to climate change, the intensity and extremity of disasters has increased. The country experiences
small to medium scale floods, cyclones, flash floods, and landslides almost every year. Between
1980 and 2008, it experienced 219 natural disasters. Flood is the most common form of disaster
in Bangladesh. The country was affected by six major floods in the 19th century and 18 floods in
the 20th century. Among them, 1987, 1985 and 1998 were the most catastrophic. Major cyclones
that occurred in the 20th century were in the years 1960, 1961, 1963, 1970, 1985, 1986, 1988,
1991, 1995. The cyclone in 1991 killed an estimated 140,000 people and 10 million people lost
their homes. In the recent past, the country faced two major cyclones in 2007 and 2009.
The geographic location of Bangladesh makes it highly prone to natural disasters. Situated in
between the intersection of Himalayan mountains in the North and the Bay of Bengal in the
South, the country experiences 2 completely different environmental conditions leading to long
monsoons and catastrophic natural disasters. With new phenomena like climate change and the
rise of sea levels, the situation is getting even worse. The country is also very low and flat,
having only 10% of its land more than a meter above sea level. Being crisscrossed by hundreds
of rivers, and having one of the largest river systems in the whole world (the estuarial region
of Padma, Meghna and Brahmaputra rivers), Bangladesh frequently experiences gigantic
cyclones and floods.
The Bangladesh Coastal Zone (BCZ) is highly vulnerable to tropical cyclones and subsequent
storm surges, which are projected to increase in frequency and intensity in Bangladesh due to
climate change. The area covers 47,201 km2 with 19 districts and was home to approximately
37.2 million in 2011 and 43.8 million at present (2022). The BCZ lags behind other parts of the
country in socioeconomic development and struggles to cope with natural disasters and the
gradual deterioration of the environment.
Floods have a destructive power over the whole state of the country and it is directly related to
the effects of climate change. As estimated by UNICEF more than 19 million children in
Bangladesh will be threatened by this situation.
Modelling work in 2022 showed only a very small poverty exposure bias (which is when poorer
populations may suffer disproportionately from disasters) of potentially flooded households
when compared to non-flooded households in the coastal zones. This is in contrast to some of the
literature in Bangladesh that did find an exposure bias for river flooding. This could be explained
from the random nature of cyclones which makes the occurrence of an exposure bias less likely,
as it less dependent on long-term structural conditions that might determine the location of a
household (e.g. land prices).
Sea level rise
Low-lying coastal regions, such as Bangladesh, are vulnerable to sea level rise and the increased
occurrence of intense, extreme weather conditions such as the cyclones of 2007–2009, as well as
the melting of polar ice. To address the sea level rise threat in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Delta
Plan 2100 has been launched in 2018.
Existing challenges in the Bangladesh Coastal Zone are likely to be exacerbated by the effects of
climate change and associated sea-level rise, with 62 percent of coastal lands being less than 3 m
above sea level.
Impact on people
Bangladesh is one of the most populated countries in the world and the high population density
of the country makes it vulnerable to any kind of natural disasters. In recent past, the country has
shown remarkable success of poverty reduction yet 24% people live under poverty
line. Moreover, the country is experiencing a rapid and unplanned urbanisation without ensuring
the adequate infrastructure and basic social services. The unsustainable process of urbanisation
makes the city dweller vulnerable to climate change as well.
Bangladesh has a critical environmental state by its nature. The fact that it has inland huge rivers
makes it subject to constant floods especially due to severe climate change. Around 163 million
living in Bangladesh has almost no escape from these natural phenomena due to their closeness
to the rivers passing through and around the country.
Bangladesh lies at the bottom of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and
the Meghna (GBM) river system. Bangladesh is watered by a total of 57 trans-boundary rivers
flowing to it: 54 from neighboring India and three from Myanmar. The country, which has no
control of water flows and volume, drains to the Bay of Bengal. Coupled with the high level of
widespread poverty and increasing population density, limited adaptive capacity, and poorly
funded, ineffective local governance have made the region one of the most adversely affected on
the planet. There are an estimated one thousand people in each square kilometer, with the
national population increasing by two million people each year. Almost half the population is in
poverty (defined as purchasing power parity of US$1.25 per person a day). The population lacks
the resources to respond to natural disasters as the government cannot help them.
Economic impact
Bangladesh is one of the countries that contributes the least to greenhouse emissions, yet has one
of the highest vulnerability conditions to global warming, prone to a significant number of
climate related disasters. There are serious consequences from the impact of climate change on
different sectors of the economy in the country, mainly but not exclusively concentrated in
the agriculture sector.

Areas and sectors vulnerable to climate change in Bangladesh

Climate & related Critical vulnerable

Most impacted sectors
elements areas

Temperature Rise and Agriculture (crops, livestock, fisheries),

North West
Drought water, electricity supply, health

Agriculture (crop, fisheries, livestock), water

Sea Level Rise and
Coastal Areas, Islands (water logging, drinking water),
Salinity Intrusion
human settlements, electricity supply, health
Central Region, North Agriculture (crops, fisheries, livestock),
Floods East Region, water (urban, industry), infrastructure,
Char Land human settlement, health, energy
Cyclone and Storm Coastal and Marine Marine fishing, infrastructure, human
Surge Zone settlement, life and property
Coastal Area, South
Drainage Congestion Water (navigation), agriculture (crops)
West, Urban
Impact on migration

Deaths cause by Natural disaster in Bangladesh from 1990 to 2017

Climate change has caused many citizens of Bangladesh to migrate and by 2013 already 6.5
million people had been displaced. Poor and other vulnerable population groups have been
affected disproportionally. Dhaka as well as local urban centers are mostly the destination
of migration caused by climate change. This leads to an increased pressure on urban
infrastructure and services, especially around health and education and creates a heightened risk
of conflicts.
An increased number of floods, due to reduced river gradients, higher rainfall in the Ganges-
Meghna-Brahmaputra river basins, and the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas, is considered
the major reason for migration in the context of climate change in Bangladesh over all. These
floods not only lead to the erosion of arable land, but also impact negatively the other income
opportunities and often disrupt the livelihood patterns of whole families. In the northern regions
of Bangladesh drought plays a major role in displacement of persons, in the South rising sea
levels and cyclones are reasons for migration.
Impacts on urban areas
Bangladesh has seven major cities,
namely, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barisal, Chittagong, and Sylhet. Around these
cities, there are many rivers, which are very polluted via industrial and household waste, and are
in serious impact of climate change and unexpected weather patterns.
Impact on rural areas
Most of the people living in the rural areas of Bangladesh are farmers. In recent years, they faced
several catastrophic climatic incidents, such as unexpected droughts, unexpected rain, river
erosion, flood, increase of severe storm and cyclones, which ultimately challenge the farmer's
food production system, food security, and water security.
Impact in Agriculture
As agricultural production is heavily related with temperature and rainfall, the current change in
weather conditions is creating negative impact on crop yielding and the total area of arable land
has been decreased. According to a report published by the Ministry of Environment and
Forests - GoB, 1 degree Celsius increase in maximum temperature at vegetative, reproductive
and ripening stages there was a decrease in Aman rice production by 2.94, 53.06 and 17.28 tons
respectively. Another major threat deriving from this factor is water salinity which directly
affects rice production especially in the coastal part of Bangladesh. The same report state that,
the country will lose 12-16% of its land if the sea level rises by 1 meter. These challenges lead to
food scarcity and insecurity for the huge populace of the country.
Food security
With a larger population facing losses in arable lands, climate change poses an acute risk to the
already malnourished population of Bangladesh. Although the country has managed to increase
its production of rice since the nation's birth—from 10 million metric tons (MT) to over 30 MT
—around 15.2 percent of the population is undernourished. Now more than five
million hectares of land are irrigated, almost fourfold that in 1990. Even though modern rice
varieties have been introduced in three-fourths of the total rice irrigation area, the sudden shift in
population increase is putting strains on the production. Climate change threatens the agricultural
economy, which, although it counts for just 20 percent of GDP, contributes to over half the labor
force. In 2007, after a series of floods and cyclone Sidr, food security was severely threatened.
Given the country's infrastructure and disaster response mechanisms, crop yields worsened. The
loss of rice production was estimated at around two million metric tons (MT), which could
potentially feed 10 million people. This was the single most important catalyst of the 2008 price
increases, which led to around 15 million people going without much food. This was further
worsened by cyclone Aila. In March 2017, extreme pre-monsoon rains and flash floods damaged
220,000 hectares of rice crops. Rice imports increased to three million tonnes from less than
100,000 tonnes the year before. A December 2018 study published by the American
Meteorological Society found that climate change doubled the likelihood of the extreme pre-
monsoon rainfall.
References:

1. Biplob, Karamot Ullah (18 September 2023). "Climate change – the biggest
threat to Bangladesh". The Daily Messenger. Archived from the original on 5
November 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
2. ^ Kulp, Scott A.; Strauss, Benjamin H. (2019-10-29). "New elevation data triple
estimates of global vulnerability to sea-level rise and coastal flooding". Nature
Communications. 10 (1):
4844. Bibcode:2019NatCo..10.4844K. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-12808-z. ISSN 2
041-1723. PMC 6820795. PMID 31664024.
3. ^ "Report: Flooded Future: Global vulnerability to sea level rise worse than
previously understood". climatecentral.org. 2019-10-29. Archived from the
original on 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2019-11-03.
4. ^ Kreft, Sönke; David Eckstein, David; Melchior, Inga (December 2019). Global
Climate Risk Index 2020 (PDF). Bonn: Germanwatch e.V. ISBN 978-3-943704-
77-8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 9
December 2020.
5. ^ Ayers, Jessica; Huq, Saleemul; Wright, Helena; Faisal, Arif M.; Hussain, Syed
Tanveer (2014-10-02). "Mainstreaming climate change adaptation into
development in Bangladesh". Climate and Development. 6 (4): 293–
305. Bibcode:2014CliDe...6..293A. doi:10.1080/17565529.2014.977761. ISSN 17
56-5529.

(b)
Yes, temperature rise is unequivocally a global issue with far-reaching consequences for the
environment, economies, and human well-being. The scientific consensus on climate change, as
documented by numerous reputable sources including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and many others, overwhelmingly supports the assertion
that global temperatures are rising due to human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse
gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

The impacts of rising temperatures are widespread and profound. They include:
1. Extreme Weather Events: Increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves, storms, floods,
and droughts are observed globally, leading to loss of life, displacement of communities, and
damage to infrastructure.

2. Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels: Warming temperatures cause polar ice caps and glaciers
to melt, contributing to sea level rise. This poses significant risks to coastal communities,
ecosystems, and economies.

3. Changes in Ecosystems: Temperature rise disrupts ecosystems, affecting biodiversity, species

distribution, and the timing of biological events such as flowering and migration. This can lead
to habitat loss and ecosystem collapse.

4. Water Scarcity: Changes in precipitation patterns and increased evaporation rates exacerbate
water scarcity in many regions, impacting agriculture, industry, and human health.

5. Food Security: Rising temperatures, along with changes in precipitation and extreme weather
events, threaten food production by reducing crop yields, disrupting supply chains, and
increasing the prevalence of pests and diseases.

6. Health Risks: Heat-related illnesses, respiratory problems from air pollution, vector-borne
diseases, and food insecurity all pose significant health risks to populations around the world.
References:
- IPCC Fifth Assessment Report: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/
- NASA Global Climate Change: https://climate.nasa.gov/
- NOAA Climate.gov: https://www.climate.gov/
(c)
As a student of Sustainability in environmental, technology and society. I think that addressing
the crisis of rising temperatures and climate change requires comprehensive and coordinated
efforts across multiple levels of society, from individual actions to international cooperation.
Here are some key strategies for addressing this challenge:

1. Transition to Renewable Energy: Phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable
energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power is crucial for reducing greenhouse
gas emissions. Governments can implement policies to incentivize renewable energy
development and invest in clean energy infrastructure.

2. Energy Efficiency: Improving energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, industry, and

agriculture can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. This includes
measures such as energy-efficient building standards, fuel-efficient vehicles, and industrial
process improvements.

3. Carbon Pricing: Implementing carbon pricing mechanisms such as carbon taxes or cap-and-
trade systems can provide economic incentives for businesses and individuals to reduce their
carbon footprint. Revenue generated from carbon pricing can be reinvested in clean energy
projects or used to support vulnerable communities affected by climate change.

4. Conservation and Reforestation: Protecting and restoring forests, wetlands, and other
natural ecosystems can help sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and mitigate the
impacts of climate change. Reforestation efforts can also enhance biodiversity, improve soil
health, and provide other ecosystem services.

Green roofs to provide cooling in cities.

5. Adaptation and Resilience: Investing in climate adaptation measures such as resilient
infrastructure, early warning systems, and sustainable land use planning can help communities
prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events, sea-
level rise, and water scarcity.

6. International Cooperation: Climate change is a global challenge that requires collective

action from all countries. International agreements such as the Paris Agreement provide a
framework for countries to set emissions reduction targets and collaborate on climate mitigation
and adaptation efforts. Continued diplomatic efforts and cooperation are essential for achieving
meaningful progress on climate action.

7. Public Awareness and Education: Increasing public awareness and understanding of climate
change and its impacts can foster support for climate action and encourage individuals to adopt
sustainable behaviors. Education initiatives, public outreach campaigns, and media engagement
can all play a role in raising awareness and building momentum for climate action.

8. Equity and Social Justice: Climate change disproportionately affects marginalized and
vulnerable communities, both within and between countries. Addressing climate change requires
a commitment to equity and social justice, ensuring that the burdens and benefits of climate
action are distributed fairly and that the voices of affected communities are heard and respected.

By implementing these strategies in a coordinated and sustained manner, we can work towards
mitigating the impacts of climate change, building resilience to its effects, and creating a more
sustainable and equitable future for all.
References:

1. IPCC, 2021: Annex VII: Glossary [Matthews, J.B.R., V. Möller, R. van Diemen,
J.S. Fuglestvedt, V. Masson-Delmotte, C. Méndez, S. Semenov, A. Reisinger
(eds.)]. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of
Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C.
Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K.
Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R.
Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United
Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 2215–2256,
doi:10.1017/9781009157896.022.
2. ^ Chen, Lin; Msigwa, Goodluck; Yang, Mingyu; Osman, Ahmed I.; Fawzy,
Samer; Rooney, David W.; Yap, Pow-Seng (2022). "Strategies to achieve a
carbon neutral society: a review". Environmental Chemistry Letters. 20 (4):
2277–2310. Bibcode:2022EnvCL..20.2277C. doi:10.1007/s10311-022-01435-8. P
MC 8992416. PMID 35431715.