A new World Bank report released on Monday apprehends that because of climate change, cyclone-induced flooding could cause damages worth $570 million across coastal areas every year in future. The report, "Bangladesh: Enhancing Coastal Resilience in a Changing Climate", analysed the effects of a 0.5-metre rise in sea level, which is "equivalent to the conditions likely to occur in the second half of this century".
Needless to say, we are already too late to do much to arrest climate change. Even climate scientists are stunned by the pace at which the climatic conditions are being disrupted by the ignorance and deep-rooted selfishness of humanity. The past seven years have been the warmest seven years on record. The world must act to prevent ever worsening climate impacts and to keep temperature increase to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The world is now going through a situation where the most vulnerable countries, which deserve the highest level of priority, are failing to access support that is being realised. Major emitters show extreme reluctance on mitigation, which may wreck the international climate regime and put the climate vulnerable countries like Bangladesh at peril.
We are already too
late to do much to
arrest climate change
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world. Human settlements have been affected in Bangladesh due to extreme climate events over past years. One of the most adverse and prolonged impact of climate change in Bangladesh has been observed in the form of climate migration. It is startling to note that global climate change may displace an estimated 20 million people of Bangladesh as 17 percent of coastal areas of the country may be submerged due to a gradual rise in seawater. Hence, we should realise the need for formulating coherent and research-backed policy, legal and institutional framework to address climate migration. We need to devise immediate measurers to protect people from environmental risks and stop unwanted migration due to climate change.
As developed countries are accountable for the severe consequences of climate change, they must provide with necessary financial, technological and intellectual support to the developing countries following the Paris Agreement to tackle climate change. Moreover, developing countries like Bangladesh need a global commitment to face climate challenges.
