Adaptation Of Adaptation And Mitigation Strategies To Address Climate Change In Bangladesh
Climate change is not a such kind of phenomenon that will happen in near future. It is an ongoing process and it affects Bangladesh critically (BCCSAP, 2009). The situation is getting worse and worse. World Bank (WB) has published a report about the future scenario of Bangladesh and the report has expressed that, by 2050, GDP will loss by 6. 7 percent or 171 billion US dollar, temperature will rise by 2. 5 degree. Among the 8 division Barishal, Chattagram, Dhaka and Khulna are the 4 division that will be severely affected by the change of climate. People of Parbatta Chattagram (Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati), Cox’s Bazer and some other places will experience a fall in their livelihood (The Daily Star, 2018).
Adaptation Verses Mitigation
Adaptation and mitigation are the two basic technique that used for addressing climate change (IPCC, 2001) and managing change in climate (Ayers and Huq, 2008). In narrow sense, adaption strategy means synthesize with climate change and mitigation strategy means minimize the source of emission (green-house gases) (IPCC, 2001). Broadly, adaption is such kind of actions that helps to reduce the impact of climate change. Mitigation are those actions that shorten the emission of particular sources and absorbed more green-house gases (Taylor, 2011). Normally adaption is for reduce vulnerability and has a short-term effect on decrease vulnerability on the other hand mitigation ha a longer effect on climate change as it tries to change the source capacity (Locatelli, 2011). Now-a-days climate change is a global phenomenon. Taking adaptation strategies are advantageous for local people on the other hand mitigation strategies are advantageous for the community, society and the world at large (Tol, 2005).
Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Bangladesh
After disasters or a negative situation that drive by the climate change adaptation strategy take place and mitigation strategy mostly take place for the source that could change the climate. Likewise, Locatelli (2011) has said that adaption is need for water sector, health sector and people who live either in costal region or low land. Mitigation is need for those particular sectors (industry sector, transportation sector, energy sector and waste management sector) behind climate change. With the climate change topical cyclone increase, low and high rain gall, sea level increase, higher river flows and river erosion etc. are more frequent (BCCSAP, 2009). Ministry of Environment and Forests released an action plan named Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) in 2009 (The Daily Star, 2018). In that document present and past scenario of adaptation and mitigation are given. Based on those scenarios and other literatures the author thinks that adaptation is more important for Bangladesh.
Argument for Adaptation
From the past people of Bangladesh are adept over different disasters and climate. They have restructured their house which is higher than the normal flood level. Cropping pattern are changed (like salinity intrusion forced people to adept shrimp cultivation). Different kinds of rice breed are discovered. These short of invention and innovation are for adaptation. Since 1970s to present different strategies are taken to adept over coming situation. Mostly they are related with food management, peoples’ and animals’ safety from the cyclone and greenbelt project of coastal region. On the other hand, Bangladesh has only two Clean Development Mechanism (BCCSAP, 2009) and ministry of environment and forest are much more concern with adaptation strategy rather than mitigation strategy. Now Bangladesh is a middle-income country with 165 million people.
To ensure their food security and health security are the prime concern of the country. Adaption are mostly work with those issue in short term but mitigation have different purpose. Around 28% people are lived in coastal region. They are the most vulnerable, Adaption purpose is to decrease vulnerability. As one third of the total population are under vulnerability so, for current situation adaption is more useful than mitigation. Impacts of climate change are mostly local based. Providing the most vulnerable adaption funds, trainings for build adaptive capacity should the primary concern in Bangladesh (Ara, 2011). Naturally, Bangladesh is a disasters prone area so adaption strategy is more important than mitigation. Likewise, Japan is a disasters prone area, earthquake visited every year. Wooden building is used as their residence. It is an adaptive capacity. With the present status of Bangladesh involved in mitigation process is like a fairy tale. Normally mitigation process is highly costly and Bangladesh can not afford it right now. More or less, mitigation is involved in reducing green house gases and Bangladesh are far behind than the emission of other countries.
Linking Adaption and Mitigation
Above argument are in favor of adaption rather than mitigation. Though adaption is select because Bangladesh is a vulnerable developing country. But now Bangladesh is trying to achieve the goals of 7th Five Year Plan (FY 2016 to FY 2020), Sustainable Development Goals, Delta plan (by 2030), Vision 2041 and being a developed country by 2041. All plans include sustainable climate. Emission of green-house gases is the main reason of global worming which is considered as the main problem of achieving sustainable climate. Though Bangladesh is practice adaption strategy domestically but adaption cannot minimize the impacts of emission of green-house gases to zero but mitigation is the process which minimize the impact of emission of emission of green-house gases to zero. So present situation allows Bangladesh to perform adaptation but for the sake of future generation and for the grater benefit of world Bangladesh must increase its effort to enhance mitigation actions.
Conclusion
Both adaptation and mitigation strategy are essential for a country. Either chose adaption or mitigation are depends on country’s situation. Developing country like Bangladesh should emphasis on adaption first and then it should put more efforts to enrich the mitigation.
