The nest of 30 millions of vulnerable “Climate Refugees” of Bangladesh

Voice from the Global Ground Zero of Climate Refugees

 

The Earth's climate is changing at a rate that has exceeded most scientific forecasts. Some families and communities have already started to suffer from the miserable facade of climate change, forced to leave their homes in search of a new beginning. Decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties in its sixteenth session, held in Cancun from 29 November to 10 December 2010 “Adaptation must be addressed with the same priority as mitigation and requires appropriate institutional arrangements to enhance adaptation action and support.”

 

Bangladesh is signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In 1992, the Government of Bangladesh signed the UNFCCC and ratified it in 1994. In 2003, the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management established the Comprehensive Disaster Management Program (CDMP) in partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and UNDP. CDMP has a number of disaster management components, among them to establish an integrated approach to climate change and disaster management. The Bangladesh Government has a well-built Disaster Management Programme with focus on preparedness, such as: raising awareness to reduce unacceptable risks, to raise national capacity for disaster management; advance knowledge in handling disasters and improving early warning systems.

 

Icecap of the entire Himalaya is melting down rapidly. Water, the source of lives, runs and flies down to the mankind. Being obstructed by various barriers this life-enlivening item taking away countless toll on lives. Driving away the people and force them to become refugees. In 1990 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) pin pointed the largest impact of climate change is the forced migration of the people by the rage of the nature that is the outcome of anthropogenic misdeeds happen on this planet. It’s too true that the issue never raised in the climate talk with that much seriousness. And these proves that how much serious we are on the issue. Apparently it seems that nothing harm causes to the politics if people dies out of natural disaster, just the next regimes succeed to the throne as a change to repeat the same. In the report of 1990 it mentioned that the refugees’ population is more than 25 millions, but strange is that there is no sign of any significance headache. Why there would be such care? In the 5th decade of the last century just 70 years before due to the artificial famine only in Bengal 6 millions of people died of hunger. Still it never tried to bring into justice. Not it just happened once, it happened in Bengal in 1770 famine (artificially created by the colonialist) when 15 millions of people died, in the cyclone of 1970, 1 million, in 1992 several hundred thousands died. All those were blamed on the natural disasters. All the global miscreants are held responsible for these. Repeatedly the carbon target was to be reduced setting up a new target and level. By this time carbon is increasing.

 

Bangladesh successfully completed the National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA) in 2005 as the first country to identify immediate and urgent needs for adaptation to climate change, including the adoption of the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) in 2009. This is the main basis of Bangladesh’s efforts to combat climate change under the following six pillars:

 

• food security, social protection and health,

• comprehensive disaster management,

• infrastructure,

• research and knowledge management,

• mitigation and low carbon development,

• capacity building and institutional strengthening.

 

Various programmes and sub-programmes have been listed in the BCCSAP which are to be implemented by different governmental and non-governmental organizations and establish a Climate Change Secretariat to facilitate this work. Even the Bangladeshi government is incorporating climate change issues into sectoral plans and national policies. Climate change is well addressed in the action plans for the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP), although other environmental policies including the National Environmental Management Plan (NEMAP), the National Land Use Policy, and the National Forest Policy do not make specific reference to climate change. To focus mainly on adaptation measures, the Government also established the National Climate Change Fund and allocated about $45 million to it in the FY2009 budget. In addition, the Multi-Donor Trust Fund was established to pool funds from development partners to implement a long-term strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change in Bangladesh.

 

Bangladesh recently has opened the world’s biggest rehabilitation project for the climate refugees in Cox’s Bazar. The ravaging 1991 cyclone killed 138,000 people. Kutubdia - a small Island of 266 square kilometres, located in Cox’s Bazar district, was destroyed in the cyclone, and people took shelter in a coastal slum outside Cox’s Bazar airport. But during high tide, this slum homes also go underwater. The area, which has a population of around 40,000, is one of the biggest settlements in Bangladesh for the people referred to as climate refugees. The majority of people are from the Bay of Bengal island Kutubdia, of which around 40 per cent is submerged in water.

 

It has been carrying out its voluntary activity like the Million Children Forest Campaign throughout the country. It was launched in the Global Forest Summit 2007 in the United Nations Headquarters on 17 April in the preparation of the Launching of the International Year of Forests, 2011. As part of that campaign we were preparing education campaign in Cox’s Bazaar. Hence we found at Nazirartek is severely suffering from the climate change and astoundingly we discovered that it is located in the Global Ground Zero of Climate Change. As of our voice; personally leading the climate refugees’ issue globally being the forerunner in awaking the global community about the looming climate refugees crises and warned the global community regarding the diminishing human security.

We decided to form GBC Foundation and it aspires to saddle Bangladesh to lead the whole of the planet specially in combating climate refugees. On last 5 June 2009 in support of the World Environment Day GBC organized a clean up campaign where partially cleaned a part of Dhaka University along with some self motivated volunteers. Besides that a Rally, Information distribution campaign and an info-installation on Climate Change has orchestrated. For raising fund as well popularizing the Million Tree Campaign, GBC already created a space in a Hollywood documentary named “CLIMATE REFUGEES” that was released in September 2009 and United Nations screened a part of our film to the leaders of the world on Sept 22nd in NY, and show the entire film at the Copenhagen Climate Convention in December 2009. It campaigned through the movie on our ‘would be’ 30 millions of Climate Refugees. At Nazirartek, Cox’sbazar established a business model through environmental conservation. Public-private partnerships are the central focus of such intervention. It thinks and believes that common people are massive as well as the only way to save this earth. Therefore, its main mission is global but by local actions specifically. Bangladesh is gifted with such a demonic climate change and no ways left for it alone, the ways are very difficult and wider around the globe. Therefore, it feels that CLIMATE DIPLOMACY is the pressing necessity to avert the crises and hence it is trying to work accordingly under limitations.

 

The climate refugee rehab scheme is another step forward in addressing climate change. Last year Ban Ki-moon, the former United Nations Secretary-General, termed Bangladesh as the best teacher about how to adapt to climate change impact. He also lauded Bangladesh as ‘miraculous’ in addressing climate change issues. Ban Ki-moon, specifically said the following while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Dhaka meeting of the Commission: “We are here to learn from Bangladesh’s experience and vision about how to adapt to the climate change impact. Our best teacher, who is on the front lines of climate change impact, opened doors. Among a few countries, which have the experience to teach the rest of the world about climate change adaptation, Bangladesh is the best to teach in this regard. So Bangladesh is the best teacher from whom we can learn about climate change adaptation.

 

The Prime Minister of Bangladesh opened special structures built under the ‘Khurushkul Ashrayan Project’ in Cox’s Bazar for 600 climate refugee families. At the inauguration function, some of the beneficiaries were handed over the keys to the 456 sq ft flats. The beneficiaries were mostly the fishermen’s family members. Each family will get a 456.07 sq ft flat in exchange for 1,001 Bangladeshi taka. All the buildings are equipped with a ramp system for people with disabilities, solar panels, safe drinking water facilities, electricity, sanitation, waste management, drainage, and gas connection. The ground floor of the new buildings has been kept vacant so that floodwater and tidal surge can damage nothing. The accommodations also include tube-wells and rainwater harvesting systems. A total of 4,409 climate refugee families will be rehabilitated at the site in 139 five-storied buildings under the Khurushkul Ashrayan scheme being implemented by the Bangladesh Army on 253.59 acres of land at the cost of 1,800 crore taka as part of the Ashrayan Project-2. Since the Ashrayan Project was launched in 1997, the Khurushkul scheme has emerged as the country’s largest rehabilitation project. The Khurushkul project will have four zones: residential, tourism, dry fish processing zone, and a buffer precinct with greenery.

 

While the rest of the world debate about climate change, Bangladesh is adapting to a warmer, more violent and less predictable climate.” However, following the devastating cyclones of 1970 and 1991, Bangladesh has made significant efforts to reduce its disaster vulnerability. The last most devastating cyclone SIDR caused some 2 millions of people to relinquish their livelihoods. There are a number of climate impacts are felt in Bangladesh, i.e.; disappearance of the seasons of Bangladesh causing prolonged summer & rainy seasons, whereas shrinking winter season is so acutely hampering the cycle. From 1991 to 2010 period more than 100 disasters have occurred and incurred the loss of more than US$ 800 crore in agriculture and infrastructure sectors. Saline water intrusion from Bay of Bengal ruined about 800,000 ha cultivable land. 200,000 ha river bank has been eroded over the last 3 decades due to climate change induced hazards especially by floods. Drought or water stress, floods or water logging conditions damaged huge amount of different crops that hindered the food security and caused the unprecedented price hike, consequential conflicts and unrest is an anticipated outcome yet to face.  Precipitation patterns are changing drastically due to changed climatic phenomena and it is anticipated that crops yields are expected to decline drastically in near future.

 

Bangladesh is on the frontier of the calamities, as it seems to be the ‘Global Ground Zero of Climate Change’. Further impacts of climate change too visible here in Bangladesh in terms of social unrests. The gradual deterioration of the social pathological conditions allover Bangladesh, especially in the Dhaka city too is a result of Global Warming and intensely deteriorated city conditions that was even reiterated by the hon’ble Prime Minister in Copenhagen and Cancun in the COP 15 and 16 respectively.

 

At present 13% naturally brackish land at Bagerhat, Khulna & Sathkhira, and the southwestern coastal districts of Bangladesh would rise to 16% in 2050 and 18% in 2100 respectively. Thermal stress could increases sea surface temperature 1-3° C that could suffer the corals frequent bleaching. About 75% area of mangrove forest; Sundarban might submerge due to sea level rise and fresh water shortage out of upstream blockades like Farakka, Tista and other barrages. Death rate of shrimp’s fingerlings will be high if the water temperature rise beyond 32°C that could inspire the diseases of fish; fall of carp culture and sweet water fish production could be telescopic. Decreasing food production induced malnutrition, water contamination due to over floods may brings water borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea etc, increased air pollution may break out the respiratory diseases, and rise of temperature may favor pathogenic diseases and other factors could arouse psychosocial stress, injuries, disabilities and death etc. Among them almost 40% are children by existing statistical data and all of them moved to the already crises reddened city like Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna.

 

Sea level rise may change the present pattern of agricultural practices, deficit the drinking water and some areas could be inundated completely. Increased evaporation may swell up the vapor concentration and precipitation that could induce more floods and erosion. The ultimate result on the biodiversity could be disastrous with 30% disappearance of existing biodiversity, hence the food shortage and forced migration and loss of the professions.

Lessons from the Climate Refugees Adaptation Camp,

Samity para, Nazirartek, Cox’sbazar.

The Global Ground Zero of Climate Change

 

Activities

Now every initiative is voluntary and hence awaiting to be registered by the government to declare all the initiatives as projects. Following adaptation initiatives to combat climate change are taken yet by our volunteers………….

 

a)           Jhau Forest Protection Initiative in the coast’s

b)           Adaptation Struggle (formation of Climate Refugees Adaptation Team)

c)            Mangrove Forest Acceleration to sustain coast lines for Accretion of new lands

d)           Forestation in the illicitly felled forest Vacant Areas that are under the process of the Land Grabbers to be encroached.

e)            Nursery Raising for Plantation and supply of seedlings to the government to its effort of nature development

f)             Adaptive Sustainable Agricultures’

g)           Gangalata (creeper plant) Regeneration to bind the sands to help the nature to extend the Territorial Areas where required of Bangladesh gradually beyond the coastline.

 

 

Community Approaches for Adaptation: Participatory Assessment

• Direct impacts of extreme climate change events,
• Difficult communication, and
• Inadequate post-disaster relief and rehabilitation measures.

• Have some action to offer – communities often consulted without results from any previous work
• Have local counterpart in community as project coordinator; government or agency as advisor
• Use facilitators from each village/community group, also consider different focus groups
• Undertake facilitator training –neutrality emphasis
• Develop tools to make consultation process efficient: 3 hours maximum is realistic
• Document past issues/analogues
• Work in local language

 

 

Best Practices: Adaptation Implementation

• Document traditional knowledge and use for awareness raising
• Undertake necessary baseline assessments once priority area identified –ensure information can be shared with community users in a meaningful way e.g. water system GIS maps for leak repair
• Assist with development of policy based on priority area
• Link to other processes & action in communities–synergies e.g. disaster preparedness
• Ownership through community/individual contribution to adaptation solution
• Sustainability plan
• Monitoring –e.g. quarterly health inspections on tanks Concerns, Gaps, Needs, for Community Approach
• Future climate change may bring different impacts from present day climate related issues
• Merging downscaled scenarios with local data is difficult
• Breakdown in observational data-early warning
• Awareness is expensive
• Burden of justification for adaptation implementation –Community has identified a climate related problem, prioritized a solution that fits them, but a lot of work to prepare a project in terms of verification of scientific basis for project rationale
• Despite increased baseline data and indications of impacts, lack of co-financing can mean priority area under climate change not targeted for adaptation action
• Recommended community role in adaptation not being acted on (e.g. housing design), need a driver, resources and awareness raising
• Limited input of traditional management systems e.g. coastal vegetation, marine reserves
• Replication beyond pilot scale
• training and awareness
• better education
• diversification of livelihood options
• community-led natural resource management
• effective disaster risk management

 

These can reduce vulnerability and increase the ability to manage climate change processes. By highlighting some important factors contributing to migration at the local level, this study gives valuable advice that can serve as a guideline and should be adapted to the local context.

 

Sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) is finished from 29 Nov to 10 December at the Moon Palace, Cancun, Mexico last year without taking any significant decision on the matter “Climate Refugees”. By this time global communities after the failure at the COP15 in Copenhagen previous of the last year with an ambitious and fundamentalist slogan ‘all or nothing’ has gone descended to ‘something is better than nothing’ approach in COP16 in Cancun, Mexico 2010. This time indirectly the issues of climate refugees were recognized under the Cancun Adaptation Framework “Measures to enhance understanding, coordination and cooperation with regard to climate change induced displacement, migration and planned relocation, where appropriate, at the national, regional and international levels;” spells the rigid position of the world-not recognize the legal right of these people. However, in terms of climate migration, there have been no significant national or international steps observed to identify these disadvantaged people and resolve the problem. Not only this, the climate refugee issue has been ignored in the global climate change discussion as well. Therefore, the Bangladesh government should take a leadership role and raise a strong demand for resettlement of climate refugees and should strongly negotiate for a separate fund for the adaptation and compensation of the climate refugees under the UNFCCC secretariat.

 

"Climate refugees” need an official recognition.

There is no legal recognition of the term “climate refugee” or for the term environmental refugee. There is, however, the necessity to apply a terminology for forced migration due to climate change – and to recognize it. This could help to improve the status and support for climate refugees on the international level.

 

The right to adequate housing is a basic human right under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) as an element of an adequate standard of living. Observed and projected climate change will affect the right to adequate housing by sudden and slow onset disasters that influence permanent displacement from the areas of origin to the areas of destination.

 

“Climate refugees” need to be adequately addressed within the UNFCCC process. A more coherent approach is necessary to meet the need for protection of climate refugees. In climate negotiations, climate related migration is acknowledged as an issue countries need to act upon as part of adaptation policies. However, there is no explicit protection existing for those displaced because of environmental changes or disasters. There is a need for a coordinated approach under the UNFCCC and the most vulnerable countries should urge UNFCCC to take action towards to compensation and insurance for Climate Refugees.

The people who are going to be the confirm victim and are not being considered properly, therefore, negotiation is gradually running out of patience? Before reaching the agreement on critical reduction of carbon, earth is going to get more concentration that would by sure decline the stability of the nature furthermore before we can translate the Copenhagen political commitment into action. It calls for restoration from the collective failure of the global leadership during COP15. We know the fact that we are going to die, but we are not able to trust each other. We know we are on same ecosystem, but still we lack confidence on each other. Love and trust could be the cheapest tool to save this planet and humankind. The conference is short of setting priorities. Its main discussion is on carbon reduction; rather solving many other crosscutting issues associated with the climate alteration related migration. It should focus on displacement as well on reduction and adaptation. The plethora of negotiation processes those are responsible for this distress should reach the end to stop spoilage of livelihoods of the people who are always neglected. It is not to be forgotten that we are standing waiting for unknown tomorrow. But our recent past spells us some very drastic precautionary measure to create enough climate resilience so that the level of destruction and damages are minimized considerably. Negotiator for the first time should come to the realization that they need more to act like a volunteer rather than as a country focal person. It’s our urge to all participating please do create an environment that would lessen the gap necessary for the desired target. It’s our earnest request to all present there should forget their nationality; cause the sovereignty of the planet is on peril. Please act like a planetary citizen rather acting as narrow factional negotiators.

 

Human societies are guided by a very complex interplay of social, economic and political forces. Any decision for change in our lives is the result of an interplay in numerous factors. Very wide range of social economic and political factors, interact and lead a person or group of persons to decide on migration. It appears that the event of climate migration can be better understood by a Push-Pull theory. In climate migration, the push factors are the events or phenomena existing in the place of settling that make migration inevitable. Through our field based ‘perspective survey’ we could establish that political events or impacts are one major contributing factor to climate migration. 23 percent of the respondents considered politics to be influencing climate migration decisions. Only 12 percent of the respondents regarded social events like marriages influencing migration.

 

The respondents mentioned several climate related push factors. Flood was mentioned by the highest number of respondents (59 percent). River bank erosion was voted second by 54 percent. What can be done to prevent migration, a number of preventive measures were suggested. These preventive measures include development initiatives, technical solutions to different problems and climate change adaptation measures. Most important was employment opportunities which more than half of the respondents answered. To a lesser extent (between 14 and 20 percent) climate change adaptation measures like flood control or eradicating salinity were considered important. Other issues of rural development, such as the land and house distribution among landless poorer community and a better transport system were mentioned by less than 10 percent of the respondents.

 

Taking all the literature on climate related migration into account, our field study has been conducted particularly vulnerable to climate change (‘source areas’), and draws on case studies from the capital of Bangladesh which is one of the destination areas, combined with an extensive desk review of available information on climate change and migration issues in Bangladesh. Based on this data, we are not in the position to draw an overall scenario of the situation in Bangladesh but we are able to make a statement on push and pull factors of climate change impacts that might contribute to the development of appropriate policies to address climate change induced for climate refugees’ migration.

 

The climate change is escalating its devastating impact on lives and livelihoods in every single second. There is still no sign of turn down in its impact, but still the negotiation to cool this planet is going on with no visible and conclusive outcome. Every day world is receiving more and more people who are being displaced by the roaring climate around the globe. There are several examples i.e; in Myers, note 2, page 611, it was projected that 26 million climate refugees will come from Bangladesh, Published by PROTECTING CLIMATE REFUGEES The Case for a Global Protocol BY FRANK BIERMANN AND INGRID BOAS in november/december 2008 www.environmentmagazine.org.

 

The global climate outlaws and warlords discovered the strongest ever weapons of mass destruction to let billions of people be killed. If nothing significant is done on this planet in next 1 decade, we will need no nuclear weapons or any next world war. The nature would reduce our number and thus the carbon emission would be stopped automatically. Thus the Kyoto Protocol will be successful! We shall remain the axis of evil against the mighty nature fighting to be defeated. By the year of 2050 there will be 1 billion climate refugees; among every 40 people on earth 1 will be climate refugees. The total number of refugees all over the globe is 3% that is very insignificance to the number of gradually booming climate refugees’ influx. In the scale of 1 billion climate refugees, the 200 millions of current refugees are not significantly too small. Global environment is trapped within an evil net of politico-economic tyrannical giant. Gradually it is getting transmitted to the whole of the globe; voracious demand of the people brought them the dire consequences. Just 2.3% of the total world water is fresh, where 97.7% is saline, but in what a nice way nature fetches the water to the peak of the mountain, to the deepest layer of the ground and to the river, canals and streams. In what a beautiful way it brings us the fresh water from the saline seas through some extremely complicated natural processes to our towns, city and villages.

 

We are trying some undetermined development that’s not in conformity with the demand. It is already incorporated with many unnecessary and unwanted items and thus got contaminated. At the international level there is always some ongoing negotiation on climate change, but the progress is too scanty. “All the changes are not growth and all the movement is not forward”. Time is running out with committed understanding, it needs some extra trust between states and it should be rapid. This uneven progress in the negotiation is not able to stop the extinction of 1 species in every 20 minutes. Not only had those, but also the world created some more than 150 deoxygenated zones, which are forcing people to become refugees. Every year 4 billions of ‘25 kg size’ sacs full of carbon are getting freed in the atmosphere and causing increased hazard. Decommission of the dams which are higher than four storied building are so urgently necessary item in combating climate change that unless we can act promptly in this regard, the dire situation would be crated that would undermine our efforts for carbon reduction! These types of dams already altered the ecosystem of some part of the world and still causing harm. For example Farakka Barrage caused the suffering to the millions of whom a considerable number already migrated to the crowded cities of Bangladesh. Thus the emerging Tipaimukh dam is so expected to yield the same intense end result.

 

Lacework of science, policy, diplomacy and economics is now a mandatory obligation for the country like Bangladesh. Climate diplomacy is the main thing that has to be emerged and acted on seriously. It’s sure that if carbon at last goes down in content in the atmosphere, the vulnerability of the communities would not be ceased sooner unless the damages are happened to some considerable millions. So this time we should be aware about the fact that the previous attempt were weaker and hence we need a different strength or we have to face the demonic climatic events sooner with an escalated pace than now. Climate diplomacy is very vital to the present context of climate change as global peoples’ hope is getting faded away.

 

Bangladesh should look forward to find land to settle the people have gone evicted and those who are waiting to face the same dire consequences. There is a number for country who is gifted with the climate change and they are going to add more exposed land for use due to this change. The whole world is also going to face the food crises due to climate change and it’s our point to consider regarding the climate refugees of Bangladesh who are chiefly of agricultural origin. In our main embassies throughout the globe should be sent with a Climate Attaché to deal with the matter with other states in bi-lateral lineage and commitment.

The `climate refugees’ issue gradually is turning out to be bigger in every passing days and hence Bangladesh and India both creating uncongenial security hazard for this region due to the dearth of political understanding and sluggishness of the plethora of discussions. In this matter both country should start joint negotiation on this issue. But India is also not active in making the reduction talk a progress. China too is accompanying this lineage along with India. By 2050 or so, the world population is expected to reach nine billion, essentially adding two Chinas to the number of people alive today. Those billions will be seeking food, water and other resources on a planet where, scientists say, humans are already shaping climate and the web of life beyond the nature’s comfort level.

It’s true that whatever happened in Cancun or may happen in Durban, people who are vulnerable little know about climate change talk, they feel and face it daily life and therefore, they relentlessly struggle with their own adaptation measure. They still can save them if they follow their traditional knowledge. It’s a struggle and it would go on till the unknown time.

 

The ‘Bunyore’ people of Tanzania and surrounding communities depend more on weather advisories from the clan than from the meteorological department. They are widely revered. They provide the community with information, for instance, on when to start preparing the land for planting, and when to undertake certain ceremonies such as burials and weddings. The clan perfected their rain-prediction art through observation of vegetation, trees, reptiles, birds and insects in the shrines. In Tanzania, Maasai elders still don’t know about COP16 or 17 but still predict if more goats than usual were seen mating in August-September this was seen as sign that the season was going to have a lot of rain. Contrariwise, increased libido in donkeys was an indicator of below normal rainfall and a possible drought in the coming season. That means people around the globe still believe in their own traditional knowledge rather relying on the fruitless negotiation that would wait by sure until the death of millions and would blame it on nature to escape their own guilt. Still the fishers of Bangladesh coast rely on the traditional system of early warning through wind direction, color and movement of cloud, fishing potential, abnormal sound of waves, and behavior of birds and honeybees. Is the negotiation made by the Conference of the Party is going to generate more good signal than that of the honeybee or rampant donkey libido does?

 

 

 

 

 

Ziaul Mahmud Shaon

Founder Chairman of Climate Refugees Global Forum,

&

International Affair Secretary, Green Bangla Coalition (GBC)

&

Communication Secretary of Climate Refugees Adaptation Camp, Samity para, Nazirartek, Cox’sbazar, Bangladesh.

 

E-mail: zmshaon@gmail.com

+8801715933320