Climate change is a critical issue in Bangladesh. The country is one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In the 2020 edition of Germanwatch's Climate Risk Index, it ranked seventh in the list of countries most affected by climate calamities during the period 1999–2018. Bangladesh's vulnerability to the effects of climate change is due to a combination of geographical factors, such as its flat, low-lying, and delta-exposed topography and socio-economic factors, including its high population density, levels of poverty, and dependence on agriculture. The impacts and potential threats include sea level rise, temperature rise, food crisis, droughts, floods, and cyclones. Bangladesh has established a set of actions for climate mitigation and adaptation that includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting renewable energy projects, increasing forest cover, and planning response to disaster risks (p. 9).
Natural hazards that come from increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and tropical cyclones are expected to increase as the climate changes, each seriously affecting agriculture, water and food security, human health, and shelter.
Sea levels in Bangladesh are predicted to rise by up to 0.30 metres by 2050, resulting in the displacement of 0.9 million people, and by up to 0.74 metres by 2100, resulting in the displacement of 2.1 million people.
To address the sea level rise threat in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 was launched in 2018. The Government of Bangladesh is working on a range of specific climate change adaptation strategies, which play a crucial role in fostering the country's development. As of 2020, it was seen falling short of most of its initial targets, still leaving 80 million people at risk of flooding where it should have been reduced to 60 million people. The progress is being monitored.
Greenhouse gas emissions As a Least developed country (LDC), Bangladesh has not been subject to binding greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction commitments under earlier international climate agreements because of its development status. Nevertheless, rapid economic growth, industrialization, urbanization, and increasing energy demand have contributed to rising GHG emissions in recent decades, prompting the government to adopt mitigation measures alongside its adaptation policies.
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. Bangladesh is prone to flooding and waterlogging because of its location as a river delta.CARE. "Adaptation, Gender, and Women's Empowerment." Care International Climate Change Brief. (2010). (accessed 18 March 2013).
Temperature and weather changes
Extreme weather events and natural disasters 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. Coastal embankments were damaged and washed away during Cyclone Amphan in 2020, allowing the storm surge to flood up to 15 km inland and forcing 500,000 families from their home.
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. Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License 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).
There was a heatwave in 2024.
Sea level rise
Low-lying coastal regions, such as Bangladesh, are vulnerable to sea level rise (SLR) 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 SLR in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 launched in 2018.
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 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 reduced poverty 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 have almost no escape from these natural phenomena due to their closeness to the rivers passing through and around the country.
Economic Impact 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, including fisheries (p. 27) and livestock (p. 30). A 2024 World Bank report notes even under lower carbon emissions scenarios, Bangladesh is vulnerable to extreme river flows that "without adaptation action are expected to increase the risk of extreme fluvial flood events and disproportionately impact informal urban developments" (p. 31). Rising sea levels threaten coastal zones; a "sea level rise of 0.5 meters would nearly double exposed assets in coastal areas and contribute to millions of internal migrants by midcentury". Historical data from the World Bank shows that a 500-year flood will lead to damage of 12% of exposed assets (p. 52). Additionally, the frequency of cyclones has led to average annual losses of US$1 billion that "disproportionately affect lower-income households in the southern divisions" (p. 25). +Areas and sectors vulnerable to climate change in BangladeshClimate & related elementsCritical vulnerable areasMost impacted sectorsTemperature Rise and DroughtNorth WestAgriculture (crops, livestock, fisheries), water, electricity supply, healthSea Level Rise and Salinity IntrusionCoastal Areas, IslandsAgriculture (crop, fisheries, livestock), water (water logging, drinking water), human settlements, electricity supply, healthFloodsCentral Region, North East Region, Char LandAgriculture (crops, fisheries, livestock), water (urban, industry), infrastructure, human settlement, health, energyCyclone and Storm SurgeCoastal and Marine ZoneMarine fishing, infrastructure, human settlement, life and propertyDrainage CongestionCoastal Area, South West, UrbanWater (navigation), agriculture (crops) Impact on migration
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 disproportionately. 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.
Agriculture Bangladeshi farmers have been adapting to rising water levels by making creative floating gardens which mesh water hyacinth plants with bamboo and fertilizer to provide a sturdy floating platform for agriculture, according to climate researcher Alizé Carrère.Alizé Carrère, PBS, September 2021, ADAPTATION: Floating Gardens of Bangladesh , retrieved 25 September 2021, "...farmers start with water hyacinth, a tightly-knit water weave that floats, piling layers of it together to be crushed down into a compact bed that floats..."
As an agrarian society, the people of Bangladesh are greatly dependent on various forms of agriculture. It is the main source of rural jobs in the country with over 87% of people related to the agri-based economy. In 2016, according to the World Bank, agriculture contributed to 14.77% of the country's GDP. Alongside a steady increase in agricultural production with the use of modern equipment and scientific methods, agriculture has been a key driver to eradicate rural poverty in Bangladesh. The risk of sea level rise and global warming is the biggest challenge not only to the country's agricultural improvement, but also to the success of poverty reduction efforts.