The effects of climate change, such as cyclones, storm surges, sea waves, tidal surges, tidal flooding, sea level rise, and increased storminess, pose growing threats to marine ecology and biodiversity. According to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, the climate of South Asia is altering, and its effects are already being felt. Bangladesh, a country with a large coastline, is significantly impacted by saltwater intrusion. Hilsa is primarily a deep-sea fish that inhabits salty water. It migrates to freshwater for reproduction. However, the migration of Hilsa fish can be attributed to an increase in salinity and river water pollution. According to the Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI), due to the rise in sea level, the salinity of coastal regions is increasing, which harms the reproduction of marine species. There is a strong correlation between salinity, temperature, and conductivity that affects water quality and the solubility of dissolved oxygen in water, which are related to fish migration. Muhammad Abdur Rahaman, Director of the Center for People and Environ (CPE) said Hilsa eggs hatch after 23 to 26 hours at an average temperature of 23°C in In freshwater rivers. To hatch Hilsa, it needs Salinity <0.1 ppt, PH 7.70-8.30, DO 5.0-6.8. But due to sea level rise and rising temperature in the sea surface, river surface temperature, and salinity increased. He also added that water pollution has changed DO, and PH in the river and seawater. As a result, the Hilsa egg hatch is decreasing which is responsible for declining Hilsa production. In the capital city (Dhaka), a national dialogue was organized by Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA), Waterkeepr, and Sundarban Rokkha Andolon on 17 May 2023 at National Press Club on “Coastal Hilsa and Fishermen”. In the dialogue, Mr. Mir Mohammad Ali, Associate Professor of the Aquaculture Department of Sher-E-Bangla Agriculture University presented a concept note. Mr. Ali said, in the Bay of Bengal, the fishing restriction period is not similar in Bangladesh and India which is responsible for low fish catching in the coastal rivers of Bangladesh. Mr. Ali also added that Bangladesh is the source of over 80% of the world’s total production of Hilsa. But the Climate and Environmental changes have endangered both the lives of fishermen and the fishing industry. Hilsa, Bangladesh’s national fish, embodies the country’s character in many ways. 20-25 lakh individuals are involved with hilsa resources directly and indirectly, resulting in about 7 lakh people’s engagement in the country. Hilsa has a remarkable contribution to our national economy and more than 1% of the GDP comes from Hilsa. The experts say the migratory routes and reproductive grounds of the Hilsa are disrupted, displaced, or even destroyed as a result of various anthropogenic activities, climate change effects, increased siltation, and rising river basins. Hilsa fish are migrating from rivers to deep sea regions as a result of pollution, and the increased movement of trawlers and other water vessels is also contributing to the Hilsa shortage. The fishermen participants of the dialogue mentioned that though vast quantities of Hilsa are being captured in the deep sea, insufficient Hilsa in rivers for fishermen to catch. Major Hilsa to catch has progressively migrated from freshwater to saltwater. Hilsa is difficult to catch for fishermen with tiny boats and inadequate gear. Mr. Md. Ataur Rahman, a fisherman from Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali who was fishing in the Ramnabad channel for the last 18 years, stated that he can still recall the first time he caught enormous Hilsa fish in the channel, however, he cannot catch Hilsa in this channel and nearby rivers for the last 4–5 years. When recounting the events of his life as a sailor, Mr. Abdus Sattar, a fisherman from Taltali, Barguna, stated, “I have been fishing in the deep sea for the previous 30-35 years. In my Trawler, 18–20 people used to work to earn their living. However, 8–10 individuals are now working to cut back on fishing. The rivers are no longer full of fish as it once was. Fishing in the deep sea is more expensive”. Women in Mongla engage in fishing with their spouses in addition to male fishermen. In the Pasur River, Chandrika Mondal spent 10 years fishing with her husband. She said there is no sufficient Hilsa in the Pasur River though there were abundant Hilsa a couple of years ago. She also said that the majority of fishermen gave up fishing and started working as day laborers. The thought of Mr. Abdur Rashid Hawladar, a fisherman from the Bagerhat district, water pollution and waste from nearby mills, dirty oil from ships, and coal is responsible for destroying Hilsa fish in the Pasur River. In the dialogue, S.M Shahzada, Honorable Member of Parliament Patuakhali along with other policymakers urged the importance of Hilsa for the national economy. Professor Md. Abdul Wahab, Bangladesh Agricultural University said, everyone seems to have forgotten that there is no Hilsa in the Andharmanik River. We have a law that fishing boats are not allowed to fish within 40 meters coastline but most of the fishing boats don’t obey this law. So government should take proper initiative in the implementation of this law. Professor Dr. Syed Ali Azhar, a fisheries researcher, emphasized the importance of ensuring fishermen’s insurance, citing the vulnerability of fishermen to various natural calamities, robberies, and security. Sultana Kamal, President of Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA) said, “We must coordinate with India for a similar ban period of fishing in the Bay of Bengal.” She also urges the importance of cultural development along with infrastructural development for the national interest. In this dialogue, Mr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman MP, Honorable Member of Parliament, Khulna 6, Prof. Gulshan Ara Latifa, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Prof. Dr. Md. Shahidul Islam, Chairman, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Dhaka, Masuda Ara Momi, Deputy Director, Directorate of Fisheries (Hilsa Management Branch) also delivered their valuable speech.
The microclimate changing scenario of Teknaf is higher than Cox’sbazar district
Temperatures have risen at a rate of 0.0201 degrees Celsius per year in Teknaf, where the national temperature has risen by 0.0228 degrees Celsius over the last 30 years. Most importantly, the wind speed of national level, the average wind speed is increasing by 0.0279 m/s every year, butt in micro-level climate analysis, Teknaf station’s windspeed pattern also showed a drastically increasing trend, even more than the national level, with a rate of 0.0613 m/s. Center for People and Environ organized a workshop on climate vulnerability and resilient livelihoods in Teknaf. The workshop was organized with the support of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and British Red Cross (BRC) on 23 August 2023 at the Upazila Parishad Conference Hall, Teknaf. In the workshop, the Director of the Center for People and Environ said, that when we compare the national-level data for overall Bangladesh to narrow it down to Upazilas as a micro-level climate scenario, it might be clear how drastically the local climatic scenario is changing every year. Nationally, the rainfall is decreasing by 3.6365 mm/year, and Teknaf station data shows that every year, the decreasing rainfall rate is 23.09 mm/year. He also added that the populations in Cox’s Bazar are vulnerable to a wide range of natural hazards and frequently experience extreme weather events because of their geographic position, climate, and topography. It is susceptible to cyclones, storm surges, medium-to-high soil salinity, sea-level rise, monsoons, and flash floods because of its funnel-shaped southern coast and its status as a riparian country. Saline water intrusion limited agricultural production and decreased the number of viable livelihood options. A study was carried out as part of the Vulnerable to Resilience (V2R) initiative by the Center for People and the Environ (CPE) with assistance from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and British Red Cross (BRC) to identify gaps in three unions of Teknaf Upazila peoples’ accessible livelihood options. The Center for People and the Environment (CPE) organized a sharing and validation workshop on “Climate Risk Assessment and Identification of Climate-smart livelihood options in Tekanf” in the Upazila conference room of Teknaf. Md. Arfanul Haque Chowdhury, Additional Commissioner (Land), attended the session as the chief guest. The study’s findings were delivered by Muhammad Abdur Rahaman, the study’s team leader and Director of the Center for People and the Environ (CPE). According to Mr. Rahaman, who presented the study’s findings, the study sorted the vulnerable community’s needs for resilient interventions in the context of current and projected climate change consequences for the poor, women, and women in vulnerable circumstances. The usefulness of various structural and non-structural strategies to increase community resilience to disaster and climate change has been documented in this study, which focuses on three specific unions. The results of the study indicated that fishermen who belong to unions are among the most vulnerable occupational categories. A fisherman who attended the validation course said, “We have been prohibited from fishing in the Naf River for the last five years. I want to ask the authority to permit us to fish in the Naf River through this workshop. The workshop covered a variety of topics about the effects of climate change on various livelihoods, including those of the most vulnerable people in the study area: fishermen, farmers, and day laborers. The floor was open for discussion and a question-and-answer session following the presentation session. Appropriate sluice gate maintenance is necessary to keep out salt water from the sea. The irrigation system at Teknaf’s 27 Jhiri canal needed to be re-excavated. According to Shahidul Alam, SAAO, DoA, and Teknaf, appropriate sluice gate maintenance is necessary to keep out salt water from the sea. He added that the irrigation system at Teknaf’s 27 Jhiri canal needed to be re-excavated. For sustainable agriculture and livestock, Md. Monayem Hossain, project coordinator at RIC, suggested that we should promote indigenous technologies and seeds. The Department of Livestock Officer Md. Nurul Alam advised that all livestock and poultry must be safeguarded through a vaccination program. Local farmers, fishermen, government officials, and representatives from non-governmental organizations were among those present at the session. The objective of this conference was to present and assess the findings of an in-depth assessment of the climate risk that took place over the previous year while also giving participants an environment to share their experiences and thoughts. The presentation of the climate risk assessment report, which identified the most urgent challenges faced by Teknaf, was the workshop’s high point. These included the impact of rising salt on agriculture, the susceptibility of fishing communities to severe weather, and the probable eviction of coastal people as a result of sea level rise. To increase the resilience of local populations, the research additionally highlighted the need to establish climate-smart livelihood options. Participants of the validation workshop came to an understanding of the significance of taking action right away as it was wrapping up. The inaugural speech was delivered by Abonindra Karmaker, BDRCS. He briefly explains the V2R project. Md. Mizanur Rahman, Forest Ranger, BFD, Teknaf, Sayed Hossain Mamun, CA, Upazila Parishad, Teknaf, Shahidul Alam, SUFO, DoF, Teknaf, and some other related persons also provided their ideas in the validation workshop.
Need planned financial support for DMC for effectiveness and efficient disaster management in Bangladesh
The people of Bangladesh have a long experience combating various natural hazards such as floods, cyclones, droughts, tidal surges, tornadoes, river erosion, high arsenic contents of groundwater, water logging, and increasing water and soil salinity. But in recent times, the increasing intensity and magnitude of disasters due to climate change, and the occurrence of unprecedented disasters have put significant stress on the lives of poor people. Bangladesh with its wider inequity in the social and economic settings has negatively impacted the coping capacity of the poor people. Disaster Preparedness and Response (DPR) has been prioritized, as one of the core development programs of the Bangladesh government. The current DPR program has evolved since 1993. In the long continuation of building a disaster-resilient country, the GoB established the Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) in 1993, developed Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) in 1997, National Disaster Management Plan (2010-2015) and revised Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) in 2010, at last, the Disaster Management Act was enacted in 2012. In 2012, GoB established the Directorate of Disaster Management through the passage of the Disaster Management Act. To meet the demand of changing scenarios of climate change and disaster, GoB updated Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) in 2019 and also revised National Disaster Management Plan (2025-2030). One of the remarkable steps under this act is to transform The Directorate of Relief and Rehabilitation into the Department of Disaster Management with wider responsibility. To manage the paradigm shift in disaster management, a disaster management regulatory framework is established under which the Bangladesh Disaster Management Framework is implemented, and in which work of Ministries, Departments, NGOs, and civil society are undertaken. The regulatory framework provides the relevant legislative, policy, and best practice framework under which the activity of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Emergency Response Management in Bangladesh is managed and implemented. Under Disaster Management Act, which was enacted in 2012, the government has formulated disaster management committees (District Disaster Management Committee, Upazila Disaster Management Committee, Union Disaster Management Committee, City Corporation Disaster Management Committee, Pourashava Disaster Management Committee, District/Upazila Health Management Committee) and also formulated City Corporation Disaster Response Committee, Pourashava Disaster Response Committee, Upazila Disaster Response Committee, and District Disaster Response Committee. The government has also initiated District Disaster Management Fund at the district level, which is headed by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) which is mentioned under the section “Funding requirement and resource mobilization (108)”. In the updated SOD, the government also formulated Ward Disaster Management Committee in each Ward of the Union level to ensure prompt response in disaster rescue and rehabilitation. In 2017, Bangladesh faced a long-lasting flood due to the rise of water levels in the various rivers in the northern part of the country due to heavy rainfalls as well as water flow from the upstream hills in India. The situation resulted in the inundation of the river basin areas in the northern parts of Bangladesh. In the late March of 2017, a flash flood hits the haor areas of Sunamganj and it extends all over the six haor districts in Bangladesh. In mid-July 2017, a devastating flood hit Kurigram at first and it extended over Tangail during mid-August. It was also found that by 18 August, the flood had extended up to Faridpur district and caused a death toll of 93 people (government source) /107 (by non-government sources) and it affected approximately 5.3 million people in 22 districts by this time. After the distressing flood of July 2017, second-time monsoon flood began on 12 August affecting 31 districts named Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Gaibandha, Bogra, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Sunamganj, Netrokona, Rangamati, Brahmanbaria, Faridpur, Rajbari, Jessore, Mymensingh, Tangail, Sylhet, Sherpur, Dhaka, Moulvibazar, Naogaon, Comilla, Rangpur, Manikganj, Madaripur, Joypurhat, Shariatpur and Natore. It disrupted people’s normal life. It was estimated that 1,200 unions of 183 upazilas under 31 districts were affected and 8,746 villages were also affected. A total of 2, 38,843 people fully and 65, 36,509 people partially was affected, 50,042 households fully and 13, 05,257 households partially affected, 71628 houses fully and 5, 48,175 houses partially damaged. A total of 121 people died. 15,529 hectares fully and 5,62,594 hectares partially agricultural land inundated, 34 full and 3,134 partially educational institutions damaged, 403km of the road fully and 4,432.38 km of road partially damaged, 268 bridges and 96 km of embankment damaged. But there was no effective response and recovery interventions were in place by the committees and fund channeling wasn’t maintained properly. In the Upazila Disaster Management Committee (UZDM), Upazila Chairman plays the role of President. According to the Upazila Chairman of Gangachara Upazila of Rangpur district, the committee has no work without meeting during the disaster. He mentioned, “Though I am the president of UZDMC, I have no role. During the disaster, I only preside at the emergency meeting of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) as president of the committee. All of the disaster response and recovery activities are run by DC and Project Implementing Officer (PIO).” He also added that there is no fund allocation for the Upazila Parishad (UP) to responding emergencies during a disaster. In this connection, the DRRO of Satkhira said, “Ministry of Disaster Management does not allocate yearly funds for the District Disaster Management Fund and so that’s why we cannot provide any funding to the Disaster Management Committee at District, Upazila, the Union level. The government has given us a mandate for the mobilization of the necessary fund for the implementation of the plan on a priority basis to manage the disaster, but not enough allocation and so why cannot take regular actions in disaster management (DM). In emergency response, relevant government departments, ministries, and local governments allocate appropriate resources and funding for DM and then we can do something in this regard”. He urges monthly additional financial assistance for DM activities from the National Disaster Management Fund. He also said if the government allocates some financial support every month for disaster management as well as a disaster management committee at district,
South Asian Research Hub can be an effective mechanism for South Asian Climate Resilience
Center for People and Environ has organized the South Asian conference on “Unfloding emerging issues in the context of changing climatic scenarios” to open a window for South Asian young scholars and researchers which is a ground-breaking conference designed to address the crucial environmental issues that South Asian countries are facing as a result of climate change. Held over two days, on November 25-26 at Dr. Muzaffar Ahmed Choudhury Conference Hall, Social Science Faculty, University of Dhaka. The conference brought together more than 100 young researchers and early and mid-career scientists from across the South Asian region to delve into the pressing challenges posed by climate change. The eminent Academicians, researchers, policymakers, scientists, and activists from across the region gathered at the conference to discuss the complex interactions between climate change and its multiple effects on a range of sectors, including agriculture, water resources, public health, socioeconomic dynamics, gender inequities, renewable energy, resilient cities, migration and displacement, environmental education for the future, and food security. The conference also developed an early and mid-career research platform from South Asian countries as a “South Asian Research Hub” to promote a common agenda by developing scientific evidence, building capacity, knowledge co-creation, and science-policy integration as an utmost keen interest in resilient South Asia. Aranyak Foundation, Oxfam in Bangladesh, Global Forum for Sustainable Rural Development (GFRSD), Global Center for Climate Change and Environment, BARCIK, LEDARS, Daffodil International University (DIU) were the co-organizers along with Center for People and Environ. At the climate conference, researchers discussed several thematic issues related to the impact of climate change among South Asian countries, such as sustainable development goals, climate policy, sustainable urban development, renewable energy, climate-related migration and displacement of people, food security, climate education, and various issues related to the development of inter-connected among South Asian countries. A commitment was made to work together on solutions and the issues were seriously presented to this entire conference. Increasing extreme rainfall events (ERE) are observed over India and Bangladesh from July to September. The cropping pattern in Bangladesh is disrupted. Irregular timing of the monsoon causes the crop’s optimal time of growth to fall in jeopardy, only resulting in a rather worse harvest. Temperature and salinity of water are the challenges for the rice production. The risk of flood from 1974 got up to 12 times more for 2030’s conditions where Nepal & Bhutan are facing flood due to the glacier melting of the Himalayas. In the opening session of the conference, Muhammad Abdur Rahaman, Director of the Center for People and Environ delivered an inaugural speech. Mr. Rahaman said the Center for People and Environ has been developing young scholars from Bangladesh since the establishment of the organization. Dr. M. Monirul Qader Mirza, Adjunct Professor and Graduate Faculty Member, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough delivered the conference keynote in the opening session. Dr. Mirza delivered his speech on “South Asian Research Hub for Climate Change: Rationale, Strategy, Framework & Roles.” He mentioned in his speech, a cross-border approach in the research fields to help the South Asian countries as a whole. He stated that increasing extreme rainfall events (ERE) are observed over India and Bangladesh from July to September. The cropping pattern in Bangladesh is disrupted. Irregular timing of the monsoon causes the crop’s optimal time of growth to fall in jeopardy, only resulting in a rather worse harvest. Temperature and salinity of water are the challenges for the rice production. The risk of flood from 1974 got up to 12 times more for 2030’s conditions where Nepal & Bhutan are facing flood due to the glacier melting of the Himalayas. He suggested that the future infrastructure for Climate Change and engineering should be implemented, i.e: the railway line from Beijing to Lhasa. In the north, agriculture and other economic activities are planned with more mitigation than in the south of India. In the opening session, the conference chair Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty mentioned that in South Asia, we need to share knowledge and imagination to come up with solutions to our environmental hurdles. In the inaugural session Mahmuda Sultana, Program Director, OXFAM in Bangladesh, in cyclone Amphan affected the entire coastal region by damaging people’s houses and livestock where the women suffered the most. Even non-economic Losses also happen due to climate change like the confidence of the community breaks down and their capability of communicating is lost. We also need to address the intersectional differences and bring them up front to work on. Discussant Dr. Jayanta Choudhury, President of, the Global Forum for Sustainable Rural Development (GFRSD) joined from India. He said the usage of bamboo reduces CO2 emissions. Dr. Mohammad Mohinuzzaman, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University encouraged research sharing data between the South Asian countries. The Chair of the inaugural session of the conference, Dr. M. Shahidul Islam, Chairman, Department of Geography and Environment, University of Dhaka mentioned in his concluding speech, that data sharing between neighboring countries in South Asia is very important to tackle climate change. He also said that we need to find out the hydrological definition of coastal areas. The conference held on six thematic areas: South Asian Commons., Sustainable Development Goals, Resilient Cities and Urban ecosystem, Climate Change (adaptation/ mitigation/ renewable energy, climate policy), South Asia Cooperation for Climate Action, Food, Security, and Education, Climate displacement, migration, human security, and disability inclusion. Three plenary sessions and a poster presentation session were on the 1st day of the conference. In six sessions of this two-day climate conference, 36 research papers and 5 poster presentations from young researchers discussed the problems and solutions of the above-mentioned main topics. Two discussants and a chair conducted each session. 1st plenary session was Coastal Resilience. In the session, Dabaraj Dey, keynote speaker, Engineering and Regional Planning Specialist, Climate Justice and Natural Resource Rights, Oxfam in Bangladesh presented his article “Empowering the Waves: Feminist Climate Movement Building Through Community Based Ecosystem Management
Trees are most important for Earth
The trees are just very important. We all know that there are millions and billions of trees on Earth. As trees are very useful for us, people cut many trees every day for making furniture and all. People think that if they cut these few trees nothing will happen as there are lots of trees on the earth. But this is happening every day and every year. We should remember that the trees are decreasing and the population is increasing. So we need lots of oxygen to breathe that comes from trees. We can’t breathe chemicals that are found in the air and that is increasing harshly. Trees absorb harmful chemicals from the air and give out oxygen. Trees also deliver the excess water to the atmosphere which causes the rainfall. The trees keep the earth cool but the temperature is increasing day by day because we are cutting trees. Over the past 50 years average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in record history. Due to this many bad effects are happening all over the world such as melting glaciers, early snow melting, and severe drought causing more dramatic water shortages, etc. Extreme heat waves have caused tens of thousands of deaths around the world in recent years. All these things are leading to global warming. If we don’t want to face the harsh condition of global warming, remember – Earth is our Mother, Protect Nature, Save our Future. .
Drinking water salinity of Chittagong city
A history of the problem in Chittagong, the second largest metropolitan commercial capital of the country, is the salimity in drinking water. Although the trend of salinity in the drinking water supplied by WASA was first observed in 1995, the problem of salinity in the water supplied by WASA at a specific time since 2007 has become quite serious. Whereas in 2007 excess salinity was detected in the water around March-April, in 2009 the problem appeared in the beginning of March and it gradually became severe in April-May. In a seminar organized by IED to celebrate Environment Day’07 at Lions Foundation Hall in 2007, I stated that this problem will continue to grow pgvi^q and once people of Chittagong city drink salt water throughout the year, it would be out of hand and there will be nothing to do or say. Now the signs are starting to become visible. Salinity levels and time spans have increased far in just a few years. The problem of fresh water has become severe in the areas of chittagong city where water is collected and supplied from the Halda river. It should be mentioned here that, WASA provides about 40% of the water supplied to the city from Halda river. This problem becomes evident when the salinity of Haldar water increases. Kaptai Lake is the main source of Halda river’s water. When the water in Kaptai Lake falls below the vivek limit, the dam authorities stop water supply to Halda river. As a result the Halda river got deprived of the fresh water. On the other hand, one of the fresh water sources of the river is percolation of underground water. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the percolation process is completely absent in the part of Halda that flows past Chittagong city. Because the percolation process requires sufficient ground water, about 60% of the water supplied to Chittagong city comes from ground water sources. On the other hand, as WASA can supply less water than the city needs, most house owners use underground water through tubewells for their own use and renters needs. Although the exact number of such tubewells is not known by WASA authorities. Or even if known, with the connivance of some dishonest and corrupt WASA officials, the house owners are easily carrying out this illegal activity. A study conducted by the author in 2008 entitled “Drinking water supply system in Chittagong metropolis” shows that out of 687 houses in Chawkbazar, Badurtala and Shulakbahar areas, 147 houses have tube wells through which ground water is extracted. And thus, due to the extraction of ground water, the pressure on the ground water reservoir is increasing and the percolation of water is decreasing. On the other hand, the infiltration process of water is hindered due to lack of rainfall and not raining at the right time and there is no open and raw space in the city, ground water recharge is decreasing cannot be stored. At one hand, unplanned extraction of ground water and on the other, due to obstruction of water infiltration process, along with other problems, water percolation process stopped. As a result, Halda river is deprived of clean water. Also, since the part of Halda flows through the rural areas, clean water cannot be connected to Halda due to unplanned, unscientific and environmentally destructive construction of sluice gates in the canals connected to Halda river. All these sluices are destroying Halda river’s fish fries and disrupting Halda river’s water flow and fresh water source. Prolonged inundation during the rainy season at some places causing massive crop losses, destruction of natural fish stocks. All the above factors have combined to completely destruction of Halda rivers’s fresh water source. Earlier Halda got 29% of its water from Karnaphuli, the rest received from hills, canals, bevels and underground sources, now due to the fact that all these sources have become extinct, Karnaphuli supplies 47% of Halda’s water. I cannot but have to mention, the sea level is increasing due to climate change. In this way, the salty water of the Bay of Bengal is easily entering Halda and the WASA authority is supplying this salty water to the city dwellers. In addition to drinking water supplied by WASA in 2009, salinity has also been observed in underground water drawn by tube wells and this is avivwek due to reduced groundwater flow due to increase in backwater pressure due to capillary properties of water from Halda during high tide. Saline water is stored underground in the process of percolation and comes up when extracted through tube wells. As the groundwater storage rate is decreasing, this problem became more pronounced in the city during the summer season. In a country like Bangladesh, the cost of purifying and supplying water is very high, so the WASA authorities have been forced to carry out this work for three years and the problem will continue to increase over the days, the solution of which is not in the hands of the WASA authorities at all. Instead, WASA authorities will play a stronger role to increase it. Because they will supply underground water under the pressure of the city dwellers which will reduce the water seepage more and eventually it will stop completely. According to WASA authorities, currently the daily water demand in Chittagong city is 50 million cubic liters but WASA can supply only 18 million cubic meters. In the next financial year Chittagong City Corporation and Chittagong WASA are jointly going to implement a project of Tk 1200 crore financed by the World Bank. Under this project WASA will ensure supply of drinking water in Chittagong metropolis. If WASA takes the initiative to solve the water demand of the city dwellers by extracting underground water through this project, then it will be suicidal for Chittagong city. As so this will result in the desertification of the Chitttagong city as well as salinity will spread thoughout this city. Besides, the possibility of disasters
Nature-based solutions (NbS) are effective for wave erosion protection in Haor
Murta, as NbS is an efficient and effective means of wave erosion protection and flood-resilient livelihood generation for flood-affected communities of Haor islands Center for People and Environ organized a workshop on “Lessons sharing on Piloting and Knowledge Co-Creation on Nature-Based Solutions” at the CNRS Training Center in Tahirpur, Sunamganj. The organization has conducted action research on Piloting and Knowledge Co-Creation on Nature-Based Solutions to protect wave erosion and promote flood-resilient livelihoods in flood-affected islands of Hakaluki Haor, Sunamganj. The action research is funded by Adaptation Research Alliance. In the workshop, Muhammad Abdur Rahaman, the research team leader, and director of the Center for People and Environ presented the study findings. Mr. Rahaman said the Center for People and Environ (CPE) attempted to solve the ongoing problem of wave erosion in the Haor islands through a nature-based solution. He also stated that Tahirpur is one of the most climate and flood-area of Haor districts. Before the innovative intervention, CPE conducted community vulnebraiility and measured erosion in an island. In the mid-July, they planted murta plans around the island and measured erosion scientifically. In early November, with the leadership of Mr. Rahaman, they also measured erosion and found the island was not eroded like in previous years. Under the intervention, the CPE also introduced value-added Shital pati production from the Murta. Almost 20 families are involved with shital pati production and selling to local and national markets, and ensure their livelihoods during the monsoon. “In childhood, we saw there were a lot of Murta around the islands and there were many species of birds, He also said that Murta was protected wave during a flood so that there was no erosion or less erosion. But now there is no bird, and island erosion is an island.” Mr. Md. Junab Ali, Chairman, Tahirpur Union said that Murta has an ecological advantage. In childhood, we saw there were a lot of Murta around the islands and there were many species of birds, He also said that Murta was protected wave during a flood so that there was no erosion or less erosion. But now there is no bird, and island erosion is an island. He also thanks CPE for the innovative activity” In the knowledge co-creation sessions, community members shared their experiences and insights with a positive attitude. In the workshop, upazila-level government and non-government organizations, Livestock Officers, journalists, development workers, and activists participated with other community beneficiaries.
G7 should come forward to enrich the world with renewable energy
The 39th G7 summit will be held in Hiroshima, Japan from 19 to 21 May 2023. The world’s seven largest economy countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, The United Kingdom, The United States, and Japan, have agreed to phase out international financing of carbon-emitting coal projects by the end of 2021 and meet the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 from all fossil fuels under Paris agreement and agreed to stop investment. But the Japanese government and government agency JICA have kept these projects in the name of advanced technology. In front of the Khulna Press Club, a discussion was organized under the initiative of Bangladesh Working on External Debt (BWGED) and Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) on May 8, 2023. In the discussion, the speakers said that the developed countries of the world including Japan are putting the burden of debt on the shoulders of poor countries like us by investing in fossil fuels. As a result, the power plant has to pay 1,32,668.20 crore taka ( 16 billion dollars) in capacity charge(capacity remuneration). The award for the fiscal year 2022-23 will be around TK 23,000 crore taka ($2.12 billion). Hasan Mehedi, Member Secretary, Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt. (BWGED) said, the Institute of energy economics, (IEEJ) stated that Bangladesh is currently preparing the integrated energy and power master plan (IEPMP) for Bangladesh with the assistance of Japan’s international cooperation agency (JICA) focusing on imported coal and liquefied natural gas. Bangladesh is facing a serious shortage of fossil fuels. The country’s current peak power demand is 15,648 MW (April 19, 2028), but grid-connected capacity is 24,143 MW as of( may 15,2023) resulting in 8495 MW power plants sitting idle throughout the year which is 54.3% of the total demand. The experts said to investing in solar and wind power to relieve from this crisis. Speakers also stated that the planned IEPMP has the impact of bringing unreliable imported liquid hydrogen ammonia and carbon conservation technology in the guise of improved clean energy technology, which is destructive to the country’s economy. In addition, the draft plan calls for using 17.1% of renewable energy by 2050, compared to 32.8% of so-called sophisticated technologies, 30.7% of fossil fuels (mostly coal and LNG), and 30.7% of renewable energy. Bangladesh has a lot of potential in developing renewable energy projects. This requires proper planning and investment. According to the Bangladesh sustainable and renewable energy development authorities’ draft solar energy plan, there is enough space to install 25,000 to 40,000 MW of solar power plants by 2041. Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan (MCPP) in September 2021, and on 27 February 2023, the Cabinet approved it to implement. MCPP targets implementing 30% Renewable Energy in the energy mix by 2030, 50% by 2041, and 100% by 2050.
Fresh Water Crisis: Families Embrace Local Tank Idea To Save Water
“This locally-led adaptation could be a solution for more communities but lacks support from governments.” “When it rains, it’s thrilling to us like a festival,” Adori Rani Das, a widow with three children, said as she described the lack of fresh water in her community on the coast of Bangladesh. “The freshwater crisis makes our life horrible. Sometimes I drink less to save (water) for the coming days,” Rani said as she sliced vegetables for lunch in her same-pucca house in Jelepara, a fishing community in the northern Katghar area of Chittagong District. “We have to buy water for cooking and drinking,” she said, adding that a gallon of drinkable water costs 60 BDT (US0.60). “We wash the rice and vegetables primarily with saline water and then wash with fresh water before cooking,” Rani said, adding the process is common among most families in the area to save purchased water for cooking and drinking. Global warming and rising sea levels are having severe impacts on the coast of Bangladesh, leading to more intense storms during the monsoon season and increasing levels of water salinity which puts pressure on freshwater resources in coastal communities like Jelepara. Better watershed management is needed to protect and improve the quality and storage of water and strengthen the resilience of communities. However, the lack of action by national authorities has prompted local communities to come up with their adaptation to the impacts of climate change. The rising salinity of Bangladesh’s freshwater supply poses a major water security threat for millions of people living along the coast, experts say. What has long been a problem in the southwest districts of Bangladesh is now gradually impacting the northern parts of the country. A 2017 study by the Soil Resources Development Institute found that salinity levels in rivers near the Bay of Bengal have increased significantly, and linger for longer. Soil salinity increased over 10 years (2005-2015) from 7.6 to 15.9 parts per thousand (ppt), compared to an acceptable level of 0.4 to 1.8 ppt, according to the study by the SRDI, which is part of the Ministry of Agriculture. Another study by the Centre for Environmental and Geographical Information Service (CEGIS), a subsidiary of Bangladesh’s water resources ministry, measured the average extent of seawater intrusion in coastal areas and classified it into three sections. The Assessment of Sea Level Rise and Vulnerability in the Coastal Zone of Bangladesh through Trend Analysis — is based on 30 years of data. It found that, on average, seawater intrusion in the Ganges tidal floodplain is 7-8mm per year; in the Meghna estuarine floodplain 6-9mm per year; and along the Chittagong coastal plan 11-20mm per year. Experts say saltwater intrusion can be linked to a combination of the impacts of climate change and a lowering of the groundwater table. “Both phenomena work synergistically,” Dr. Reaz Akter Mullick, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET). PUBLIC HEALTH AT RISK The salinity of groundwater in most coastal districts is several levels above the acceptable level for safe drinkable water recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a study by Bangladesh’s Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE). The study found that in most coastal areas, the level of salinity (chloride count) in the main or secondary aquifer ranged from 103 to 12,433 milligrams/liter during the dry months and 34 to 11,366 milligrams/liter in the rainy season. In both cases, the extremes are far above the prescribed 300 milligrams/liter for freshwater and the drinkable range of 300-600 milligrams/liter. The most serious health impacts in coastal areas affected by high salinity are felt by teenage girls and women. For example, the lack of fresh water can lead to menstrual hygiene problems. Rani had experienced infections and itching during her monthly period and her physician prescribed the use of fresh water. But Rani said that was difficult to secure. “I have to suffer from pain every month,” Rani said, adding that her gynecologist prescribed a medicine to help relieve her pain that cost about 100 BDT a month. Rani’s experience is shared by many women and men living in coastal areas with high salinity levels who suffer from skin diseases, high blood pressure, and insomnia. Hygiene is a key factor in women’s health, particularly for those from poor families who rely on reusing old rags during menstruation, said Shahana Akther, Head of the Gynecologist Department at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Akther blamed the lack of fresh water on women failing to maintain their menstrual hygiene. “The women have to bear the pain in the long run,” she said.
Developed countries should help developing countries with newer technologies to functionalize the adaptation and mitigation strategies
“Climate change vulnerability should be addressed minutely and policies should be taken keeping in mind the success of implementation, experts say” Indian Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) and Carbon Minus India, New Delhi in collaboration with the Department of Rural Studies, Tripura University organized North Eastern Regional Sustainability Dialogue – a Pre-Summit for the Global Sustainability Summit (GSS, 2023) (http://gss2023.iisdindia.in) on 19th May 2023 at Tripura University. Unity of Nation Action for Climate Change Council (UNAccc) and North East Training Research and Advocacy Foundation (NETRA Foundation) were partners for the event. Around 100 students, scholars, and faculties from Tripura University and the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya participated and interacted with the speakers in the dialogue. Professor Ganga Prasad Prasain, Vice-Chancellor, of Tripura University emphasized on adoption of a new education policy and the creation of jobs. He also emphasized the development of ecotourism as a scope of development of the North East Region. Professor Prasain highlighted the protection of forests of the region in the process protects the climate. From IISD, Dr. Manindra Tiwari enlightened the audience by delivering how north East region can contribute to sustainability. He opined that India has become a major power in climate change mitigation and adaptation. It is the developed countries that need to come forward and help the developing countries to achieve the newer technologies and functionalize the adaptation and mitigation strategies. The initiation of the Global Climate Facility shall be implemented through the provision of a Green Climate Fund, Special Climate Change Fund, etc. Prof. Sabyasachi Dasgupta, Department of Forestry raised certain pertinent questions and for the development of the Northeastern part of India, SDG 15 is especially important. He emphasized the rich biodiversity of the North East that includes cultural diversity and how this unique biodiversity contributes to the alleviation of poverty. Shri Sushanta Banik, Scientific Officer, Department of Science, Technology, and Environment, Government of Tripura opined that emphasis should be given to climate vulnerability, focusing on the risk of climate, such as extreme weather events, erratic rainfall, melting of glaciers, etc. The senior correspondent of the Times of India Shri Biswendu Bhattacharjee opined that ban on single-use plastic, and less usage of water is more in policy than in practice. He also opined that sustainable development is not person-specific or country specific but rather global. Dr. Selim Reza from INBAR, Ethiopia presented that bamboo is directly related to the seven SDGs. He mentioned in his speech that bamboo has cultural value; value from biodiversity along with enormous carbon sequestration capacity at both below ground level and above ground level and it can reduce carbon from the atmosphere at a very fast rate. Additional Project Officer Shri Atanu Saha informed us about the functioning of the INDO-GERMAN project. He mentioned that as part of the CREFLAT project toward addressing the issues related to climate change in Tripura. He also opined that women are a very important part of the project and people’s decision is important through which they try to capture traditional knowledge. Associate Professor Dr. Anirban Guha, from the Physics Department of Tripura University, thought that to cater to the problem of climate change, interdisciplinary research is of significant importance. In his speech, Dr. Saptarshi Mitra mentioned that though the steps shall be started at the ground level, the policy has an important role to play to achieve success in addressing issues related to climate change. He has opined that emphasis has been given to having more hydro-power, but the hydro-electric projects are changing the courses of rivers which may have significant implications in the future. He mentioned the example of Sikkim to support his argument. The session chair Shri. D. Radhakrishna, Chairman, Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission of Tripura summed up the entire session by opining that climate change vulnerability should be addressed minutely and policies should be taken keeping in mind the success of implementation. The dependence on fossil fuels has to be reduced over time and in this regard, conservation projects are going to be significantly crucial. Dr. Samrat Goswami, Assistant Professor, Department of Rural Studies. offered a vote of thanks to the participants and each of the speakers and dignitaries presents in the discussion and dialogue. At the welcome address Dr. Jayanta Choudhury, HoD (In-charge), Department of Rural Studies, Tripura University. Dr. Choudhury also informed that 2 (two) Youth Climate Ambassadors would be selected from the North-Eastern States and be recognized at GSS, 2023 on 17th June at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.