IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON LIVELIHOODS AND ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING IN COASTAL AND SLUM AREAS

Abstract

The people of coastal areas of Bangladesh are facing different climate change vulnerabilities as a result some people already migrated to the different municipality areas and living in the different slum areas. Due to increasing of climatic vulnerabilities, some villagers are living under threats of displacement of their origin birthplace and sufferings lack of livelihoods. ‘Impact of climate change on livelihoods and alternative solutions for the people living in coastal and slum areas in Bangladesh’ was conducted to identify the existing climate vulnerabilities and the most suitable adaptive livelihood options for the communities. Different standard research tools were used to complete this study. The data showed that the people of the study areas have been forced by the disasters and climate change for applying different strategies individually to survive. Due to loss of all assets and livelihoods by the disaster, people are being engaged in negative coping strategies such as reducing their daily meal intake to survive. More or less 30% people not only reduced intake of their meal; they were also unable to afford food items beyond rice and lentils. Damage caused by Sidr, Aila and other cyclones to shrimp, rice farms and the fisheries industry were extensive. As a result, daily labor opportunities on farms and fishing boats were severely affected and people were forced to migrate to other areas to find work, alternative income and employment as a brick maker, rickshaw driver and unskilled labour. Average duration of yearly economic migration is of 6 to 8 months, fragmenting families and increasing the number of female-headed households. The very common problems of the study areas are - (i) scarcity of jobs in locality, (ii) poor agriculture productivity due to salinity in soil and lack of irrigation, (iii) scarcity of drinking and domestic water, (iv) sanitation and hygiene for women-girls and health hazards for all, and (v) improper embankment. The migrated people suffering- (a) poverty due to poor income, (b) lack of proper drainage system and water logging, (c) insufficient toilets, sanitation and hygiene facilities, (d) scarcity of safe drinking and domestic water, and (e) child labour and loss of education in the slum areas. The findings of the research indicate that (1) saline tolerant agricultural practices and climate change adapted local varieties livestock for farming, (2) ensuring adaptation and improving of different livelihoods for men and women both, (3) WASH programme and emergency health facilities, (4) establishment of green belt (plantation) besides the river, (5) land zonation and reducing saline water intrusion, (6) mitigate the waterlogging, (7) ensure education support to combat child labour, (8) awareness, motivation and training for the villagers and slum dwellers, (9) ensue community participation in the all activities, (10) continuous monitoring and evaluation (11) more integrated research on the sustainable adaptation mechanism of climate change vulnerability etc. can reduce the climate vulnerabilities or disaster risk.