An overview of climate change-induced water crisis in Bangladesh.
Land, air, the animal kingdom – there is not a single element in nature that climate change has not ravaged in its wake. Water, one of the lifelines of the planet, is especially at risk. The annual rise in temperature and erratic weather patterns have been wreaking havoc on water bodies, affecting the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people around the world.
The availability and quality of clean water are regularly being impacted by the adverse effects of climate change including unpredictable floods, droughts and rainfall. This not only hampers the daily lives and economic conditions of people but also threatens life itself, by giving rise to waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery and cholera. According to the World Bank, each year, almost 525,000 children under five years of age die of diarrhoea globally, which spreads through unclean, dirty water and a gross lack of hygiene and sanitation. Groundwater levels are also falling rapidly, raising concerns from global climate change and water experts.
A recent World Bank report on climate migration found that about 4.1 million Bangladeshis were displaced in 2019 due to climate disasters and estimates that nearly 13.3 million Bangladeshis could be displaced by 2050. Another study warns that this figure could go up to 23 million.
Bangladesh, characterised by its geographical location, flat and low-lying topography, high population and poverty levels and weak healthcare systems, is one of those countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. From increased salinity to flooding and flash floods owing to untimely rainfall and droughts, Bangladesh has a number of different climatic hazards ailing it. Despite having four of South Asia’s largest rivers flowing through it, the country struggles to provide clean, safe drinking water for its citizens.
The northern areas of Bangladesh have been recently afflicted with droughts that are severe in nature and rapidly turn into food insecurity. The crisis occurs primarily between September and November every year, and the locals see less water in the rivers during this period. Considering that most of the major rivers flowing through Bangladesh originate in India, the water bodies are largely controlled by the neighbouring countries, leaving the residents of the northern regions of Bangladesh in the lurch. The situation turns into a drought and directly limits the grain yield of rice, a staple food of the country. The condition not just borders on starvation, but also leads to seasonal unemployment, and farmers being unable to feed themselves for a few months. Combined with abysmally low rainfall due to climate change effects, the locals have no choice but to turn to groundwater for their survival.
Bangladesh ranks sixth in the world for countries with the largest rates of groundwater extraction per year. The UN World Water Development Report 2022 cited a study by the Bangladesh Water Partnership supported by the 2030 Water Resource Group stating, “By 2030, groundwater levels in the greater Dhaka area may drop by between 3 and 5.1 metres (9.8 and 16.7 feet) per year – approximately 70% faster than the current rate.”
While directly pointing the finger towards climate change is difficult, meteorologists and climate scientists have long been predicting that climate change will cause severe monsoon flooding in Bangladesh, especially striking its North Eastern regions. Cyclones and sea-level rise are also taking their toll on the country. This has already cost the country around USD 3.72 billion in economic losses between 2000 and 2019, according to a Climate Risk Index produced by Germanwatch. A recent World Bank report on climate migration found that about 4.1 million Bangladeshis were displaced in 2019 due to climate disasters and estimates that nearly 13.3 million Bangladeshis could be displaced by 2050. Another study warns that this figure could go up to 23 million.
A number of different action plans have been identified to tackle persistent problems for each spot. Some of the more important ones include flood risk management, dry season water availability and irrigation management, river management, coastal zone protection and management, fresh water supply and wetland protection.
Bangladesh has a vast coastline. As climate-induced salinity rises in the country, it gradually extends towards inland water and soil, mainly in the coastal areas. The last 35 years have seen a 26% increase in salinity in the country, with the problem spreading to non-coastal regions of the country too. Excess salt in the soil can degrade land and reduce fertility and is therefore especially harmful to the primary production system, coastal biodiversity and the health of those living in these regions. Certain areas such as Rampal and Mongla have seen a decline in crops such as coconut and betel, and even certain seasonal vegetables due to changes in the soil quality caused by salinity.
To combat the dire climatic situation, Bangladesh has proactively committed to identifying and prioritising a series of actions that are expected to take on climate risks and reduce environmental losses in the more vulnerable sections of the country. The Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP 2100) is a 100-year visionary plan approved by the National Economic Council, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It aims to achieve a ‘safe, resilient and prosperous’ Bangladesh and commits to spending 2.5% of GDP towards delta-related interventions per year.
The plan breaks down the 64 districts of the country into 6 ecological zones with unique water-related characteristics and climate risks. According to this list, around 58 out of 64 spots are extremely vulnerable, with health challenges that require a fast response. These ‘hotspots’ also take into account topographical variations affecting the health of the inhabitants such as groundwater depletion in drought-prone areas, and salinity in coastal regions. These hotspots are the urban areas, the Barind hill tracks, coastal regions, haor regions, riverine areas and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The BDP 2100 is a long-term plan for water resource management, designed to guide work for the next few decades. Its vision is to ensure long-term water and food security, economic growth and environmental sustainability, while effectively coping with natural disasters, climate change, and other delta issues through robust, adaptive, integrated, and equitable water governance. The BDP 2100 incorporates three national-level policies and six delta-specific goals which would complement these policies. Out of these specific goals, outlining land and water resource management, and ensuring safety from floods and climate-induced disasters remain the topmost priorities.
A number of different action plans have been identified to tackle persistent problems for each spot. Some of the more important ones include flood risk management, dry season water availability and irrigation management, river management, coastal zone protection and management, fresh water supply and wetland protection. These action plans include the use of a variety of technical and non-technical activities in specific, climate-sensitive areas. Since water management happens to be a crucial priority, some precise actions like scaling up the current good practices of water conservation and management, and the application of widely integrated water management, such as flood control and prevention schemes, flood early warning systems, improved irrigation system, and demand-side management have been prioritised. For instance, water management authorities in the country have planned to refill aquifers around Dhaka and its outskirts, which are being depleted at alarming rates, and falling by 3 metres per year. They intend to carry out these recharge programs through the use of stormwater, reclaimed water, desalinated water, and potable water. This is just one out of many such small and large-scale actions being carried out regularly to help residents address the most immediate effects of climate change.
From wiping off crucial insect populations to introducing the world to novel diseases, the human-made and exacerbated climate change phenomenon is not willing to stop the destructive party anytime soon. The policies in the plan only concentrate on strategies to tackle the most current and short-term water vulnerabilities such as providing access to safe drinking water or the construction of water structures which aid in the desalination of water for adding to groundwater or aquifers. However, these policies are not enough to deal with the more complex impacts of climate change. Considering that there is not enough research to confidently point towards climate change as the culprit behind changes in the hydrological cycle, it is a challenge to quantifiably measure the actual impact any of these plans may have on human life, the economy or the ecosystem at large.
Experts recommend extensive research and comprehensive climate modelling to determine future climate impacts on the water bodies. Using inadequate information to chart new policies can do more harm to the aquatic and hydrological climate of the country than benefit it. Climate change impacts will affect various sectors at a go and therefore it is imperative that the policies designed are multidimensional in scope and nature. Bangladesh is making relatively consistent and heartening progress in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitisation. However, there is a lot of room to improve and indeed, improvement is the only choice we have, if Bangladesh is to survive the harsher climatic challenges it will be faced with ahead.
