Climate Change Adaptation Research Climate Change, Gender and Vulnerable Groups in Bangladesh December 2008 Climate Change Cell Department of Environment (DoE) Ministry of Environment and Forests Component 4B, Comprehensive Disaster Management Program (CDMP) Ministry of Food and Disaster Management Climate Change Adaptation Research Climate Change, Gender and Vulnerable Groups in Bangladesh December 2008 Research by BASTOB INITIATIVE FOR PEOPLES’ SELF-DEVELOPMENT 4/7 Humayun Road, Block-B, Mohammedpur, Dhaka-1207 in association with CENTRE FOR GLOBAL CHANGE (CGC), BANGLADESH Climate Change Adaptation Research Climate Change, Gender and Vulnerable Groups in Bangladesh Research Team BASTOB Initiative for Peoples’ Self-Development and Centre for Global Change (CGC), Bangladesh Ahsan Uddin Ahmed Sharmind Neelormi Neelopal Adri Md. Shaiful Alam Kazi Nuruzzaman Date of Publication XXXXXX 2009 Citation CCC, 2009. Climate Change, Gender and Vulnerable Groups in Bangladesh. Climate Change Cell, DoE, MoEF; Component 4b, CDMP, MoFDM. Month 2009, Dhaka Published by Climate Change Cell Department of Environment, Ministry of Environment and Forests Component 4b Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme, Ministry of Food and Disaster Management Bangladesh Contact Climate Change Cell Room 403, Paribesh Bhabhan, Agargaon, Dhaka-1207 Bangladesh Phone: (880-2) 9111379 Extension 147 Fax: (880-2) 9111379 Extension 147 E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Website: http://www.climatechangecell-bd.org ISBN: List of Abbreviation AAI Action Aid International ADB Asian Development Bank BARC Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council BBS Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics BCAS Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies BFRI Bangladesh Forest Research Institute BIRD Bangladesh Institute for Rural Development BRM Bangladesh Resident Mission BRRI Bangladesh Rice Research Institute BWDB Bangladesh Water Development Board CC Climate Change CCC Climate Change Cell CEGIS Centre for Environmental Geographic Information Services CEP Coastal Embankment Project CGC Centre for Global Change CPP Cyclone Preparedness Programme DAE Department of Agricultural Extension DAW Division of the Advancement of Women DC District Commissioner DFID Department for International Development DND Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra DOE Department of Environment DPHE Department of Public Health Engineering DTW Deep Tube Well DWASA Dhaka Water and Sewage Authority EGIS Environmental Geographic Information Services EPIP Environmental Policy and Implementation Program FAO United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization FAP Flood Action Plan FFWC Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre FFWP Food for Works Programme FGD Focus Group Discussion GBM The Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Meghna (region) GDP Gross Domestic Product GHG Greenhouse Gas GTZ Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit GW Ground water HQ Head Quarter HYV High Yielding Variety IEC Important Environmental Concerns IPCC Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change KII Key Informants’ Interviews KJDRP Khulna-Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project LDC Least Developed Countries LFA Livelihood Framework Analysis LGED Local Government Engineering Department MDG Millennium Development Goals MOEF Ministry of Environment and Forest MOWR Ministry of Water Resources NAPA National Adaptation Programme on Action NC North Central NGO Non-Government Organizations NIPA National Institute for Public Administration NWMP National Water Management Plan OB Old Brahmaputra PC Planning Commission PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper PVA Participatory Vulnerability Analysis RA Resource Analysis RAJUK Rajdhani Unnayan Kotripakkha RMG Ready Made Garment RVCC Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change (Project) SD Sustainable Development SSP Single Super Phosphate SST Sea Surface Temperature SW Southwest TRM Tidal River Management TSP Triple Super Phosphate UN United Nations UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development UNDP United Nation Development Program UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNISDR United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction UNO Upazila Nirbahi Officer VGF Vulnerable Group Feeding WARPO Water Resources Planning Organization WB World Bank TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Abbreviation Executive summary 1. INTRODUCTION 1-6 1.1 Background of the study 1 1.2 Linkages among climate change, livelihoods, poverty, and women 2 1.3 Objective of the Study 6 2. APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY 6-12 2.1 The Generic Analytical Approach: LFA and PVA 6 2.2 Actual methodology applied for the Study 7 2.3 Selection of study sites 10 2.4 Activities Undertaken 12 3. HYDRO-GEOPHYSICAL CONTEXTS OF THE STUDY SITES 13-29 3.1 Cyclonic Storm Surge in Dholghata, Maheshkhali 13 3.2 Waterlogging in Keshabpur, Jessore 14 3.3 Waterlogging in Noakhali 15 3.4 Salinity in Satkhira 17 3.5 Drought in Manda, Naogaon 18 3.6 Riverine Flood and Riverbank Erosion in Kurigram 19 3.7 Riverine Flood in Char Harirampur, Faridpur 21 3.8 Flash Flood in Deerai, Sunamganj 23 3.9 Flash Flood in Garo Hills, Mymensingh 24 3.10 Coastal Tidal Flood in Chakoria, Cox’s Bazar 26 3.11 Urban Flood in Dhaka City 26 3.12 Coastal Erosion in Char Fassion, Bhola Island 28 4. IMPACTS ON WOMEN AND SPECIAL VULNERABLE GROUPS 30-55 4.1 Women’s Context of Vulnerability in Reference to Physical and Social Setting 30 4.1.1 Women Are Affected Differently and More Severely 30 4.1.2 Women are Under-represented in Decision Making 32 4.2 Perceived Impacts of Climate Change in Bangladesh: Views From the Field 32 4.2.1 Cyclonic Storm Surge in Coastal Islands 32 4.2.2 Waterlogging in Jessore and Noakhali 35 4.2.3 Salinity in Tala and Shaymnagar Upazilas of Satkhira District 37 4.2.4 Drought in manda Upazila of naogaon District 39 4.2.5 Riverine Flood in Kurigram and faridpur Districts 40 4.2.6 Flash Flood in Sunamganj and Mymensingh Districts 42 4.2.7 Coastal Tidal Flood in Chakoria Upazila of Cox’s Bazar District 44 4.2.8 Urban Flood/Drainage Congestion in Dhaka City 44 4.2.9 Coastal Erosion in Bhola District 45 4.2.10 River Erosion in Kurigram and Faridpur 46 4.2.11 The Special Vulnerability of Minority Women 46 4.3 Special Vulnerability of Poor and Marginal Farmers to Climate Change 48 4.3.1 Cyclonic Storm Surge 48 4.3.2 Waterlogging 50 4.3.3 Salinity Ingress 52 4.3.4 Drought 52 4.3.5 Flood 53 4.3.6 Flash Flood 54 4.3.7 Coastal Tidal Flood 54 4.3.8 Urban Flood 54 4.3.9 Coastal and Riverbank Erosion 55 5. COPING PRACTICES AGAINST CLIMATE-INDUCED HAZARDS 56-64 5.1 Coping Practices Among Women 56 5.1.1 Coping with Cyclone and Storm Surge 56 5.1.2 Coping with Waterlogging 57 5.1.3 Coping with Salinity 57 5.1.4 Coping with Drought 58 5.1.5 Coping with Riverine Flood 58 5.1.6 Coping with Flash Flood 59 5.1.7 Coping with Urban Flooding 59 5.1.8 Coping with Coastal and Riverbank Erosion 60 5.2 Coping Practices Among Poor Farmers 60 5.2.1 Coping with Cyclone 60 5.2.2 Coping with waterlogging 61 5.2.3 Coping with Salinity 61 5.2.4 Coping with Drought 61 5.2.5 Coping with Riverine Flood 62 5.2.6 Coping with Flash Flood 63 5.2.7 Coping with Tidal Flood 63 6. WHITHER ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE 65-80 6.1 Cyclone and Storm Surge Related Adaptation 66 6.2 Waterlogging Related Adaptation 68 6.3 Drought Related Adaptation 71 6.4 Salinity Related Adaptation 72 6.5 Flood Related Adaptation 74 6.6 Flash Flood Related Adaptation 78 6.7 Erosion Related Adaptation 79 7. CONCLUDING REMARKS 81-82 References EXECUTIVE SUMMARY An increasing number of evidences in recent years have clearly established the fact that anthropogenic climate change is a reality. According to latest findings of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other concerned organizations/agencies, developing countries are expected to suffer the most from the negative impacts of climate change. This is because climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture and fisheries are particularly important in economic terms and because these countries have limited human, institutional, and financial capacity to anticipate and respond to the direct and indirect effects of climate change. Many sectors providing basic livelihood services to the poor are not able to cope even with today’s climate variability and stresses. This is particularly true for Bangladesh. The frequent occurrence of extreme weather events such as the floods and tropical cyclones in Bangladesh can set back development in the country for decades. To many across the globe, Bangladesh is known as one of the most vulnerable countries under climate change. A number of major studies in the past investigated the causes of vulnerability of Bangladesh due to Climate Change. In general, warming would increase both the summer as well as winter mean temperatures, while there would be an increase in monsoon rainfall with a likelihood of withdrawal of dry season rainfall over the country. The water resources sector of the country would most likely be affected significantly due to anticipated changes. Most of the adverse affects of climate change will be in the form of extreme weather events, while water-related hazards such as flood, drought, salinity ingress, bank erosion, and tidal bore are likely to exacerbated, leading to large scale damages to crop, employment, livelihoods, and national economy. Vulnerability and adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change are the most crucial concerns for Bangladesh. Initial attempts to link gender and climate change may seem rather far-fetched. There have been only a few publications to establish this linkage. Most of the approaches towards tackling the threats of climate change focus on scientific and technological aspects of the problem, ignoring the social issues. In at-risk resource-dependent communities, men and women have distinct roles and responsibilities, which give rise to differences in vulnerability and ability to cope with climate change. Both the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change ignored to even mention gender concerns.