Climate change in Bangladesh: causes, consequences, and measures

Bangladesh is one of the countries where the effects of climate change are particularly evident. More intense rainy seasons, more frequent cyclones, ongoing erosion along riverbanks and coastlines, and increasing flooding are posing a growing threat to the environment, infrastructure, and settlements. For many people, this means precarious living conditions due to crop failures and destroyed drinking water sources, as well as growing risks to their health and livelihoods. Socially disadvantaged and densely populated areas are particularly at risk. 

This makes disaster preparedness, adaptation measures, and on-the-ground assistance all the more important. Malteser International supports vulnerable communities in better protecting themselves against the effects of climate change and becoming more resilient in the long term.

Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to the effects of global climate change because several risk factors converge: its geographic location in the delta of major rivers, the low elevation of many parts of the country, and the high population density significantly increase its vulnerability to natural hazards. Economic conditions and limited protective measures also play a role. This combination means that climate change is felt more quickly and more intensely here than in many other regions of the world.

Climate change is altering landscapes and habitats in Bangladesh in several ways:

• Progressive land loss: Large areas of land are lost to erosion every year along major rivers and in coastal regions. Particularly unstable river islands shift their location over time or disappear entirely.
• Increasing salinization: In the southern parts of the country, seawater is penetrating further and further inland, thereby seeping into the soil and groundwater. This is causing a decline in both drinking water quality and the fertility of agricultural soils.
• Threats to forests and biodiversity: Important ecosystems such as mangrove forests, which normally protect against storm surges, are suffering from rising salinity. Many animal and plant species are losing their habitats. 
• Deterioration of soil and water quality: Intensive agricultural use, pollutants, and increasing environmental pollution place additional strain on soils and water bodies and reduce their natural ability to regenerate.
• Impact of more frequent extreme weather events: Stronger cyclones and widespread flooding regularly affect large parts of the country and hinder the natural recovery of vegetation and ecosystems.

For many people in Bangladesh, climate change has a direct impact on their daily lives:

• Loss of housing and resettlements: Floods, storm surges, and erosion destroy homes and fields. Many families are forced to leave their homes, some even multiple times.
• Health risks: When drinking water becomes undrinkable due to saltwater or flooding, infections and cases of diarrhea spread more easily. Heat, poor air quality, and inadequate hygiene further exacerbate the health situation and can worsen cardiovascular problems and mental health issues.
• Food and income insecurity: Farmers and fishermen are losing their livelihoods due to destroyed crops or damaged fish ponds. As a result, poverty and debt are rising in many communities.
• Disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups: People living in densely populated, impoverished neighborhoods, remote villages, or refugee camps are especially affected because their homes often offer little protection and they frequently lose everything in disasters.
• Difficult access to medical care: After floods and storms, health clinics are often damaged or difficult to reach. This makes it difficult to provide timely treatment to patients and disrupts essential health services such as maternal healthcare.

In Bangladedesh, different regions are exposed to different climate risks.

• In the southwest, around the districts of Khulna, Satkhira, and Bagerhat, the low elevation, proximity to rivers, and rising sea levels lead to frequent flooding and increasing salinization of the soil and groundwater. 
• In the southeast, near Cox’s Bazar, severe cyclones and landslides following heavy monsoon rains are affecting both the local population and refugee camps.
• The southern coastal region around Barisal is at high risk because the lack of natural drainage areas exacerbates flooding during storm surges and cyclones.
• In the north and along the major rivers, such as in the Kurigram District, recurring floods and severe bank erosion pose a particular threat to residents of unstable river islands, where land is regularly being lost.
• In addition, the Dhaka metropolitan area, in central Bangladesh, faces its own challenges due to extreme heat, high levels of air pollution, and frequent urban flooding during heavy rains.