Finds survey
A BBC survey across seven Asian countries finds 84 percent of Bangladeshi respondents are feeling the impact of climate change on their household income.
Almost one-third of the respondents are experiencing extreme weather events, changing livelihoods, and migrating to cities for work and struggling to cope.However, people here are better at adapting to climate change than those in the other countries surveyed.
They are already making changes to their livelihoods, including migrating for work or growing different crops, the survey says.
“Bangladeshis are feeling the effects of complex changes in their environment. However, we have found that communities are already doing a lot to cope with the situation and are keen to do more,” said Charlotte Imbert, country director in Bangladesh for BBC Media Action, at the launch of the study report in Dhaka yesterday.
As part of Climate Asia, a BBC Media Action initiative, 33,500 people were surveyed in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, China, Indonesia and Vietnam to know people’s daily experience on climate change.
This is the largest climate survey in Asia, claims Media Action (formerly BBC World Service Trust), BBC’s charity for international development.
Dr Saleemul Haq, director of International Centre for Climate Change and Development, who was also present at the programme, said Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate change is yesterday’s story.
“Lots of resilience activities going on to fight climate change at community level. The government agencies and non-government organisations are doing a lot of stuff. There are so many more to say about Bangladesh,” said Dr Haq, also a member of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The survey in Nepal has found people there are most concerned about their future environment; 85 percent of the respondents feel like changing livelihood, but they hardly have been doing it.
In India, the research got the highest number of respondents who are struggling or finding it impossible to take any action at all. The biggest worry in five Indian states, where the survey was conducted, was shortage of water.
While the Indonesian people expressed their concern about food and drinking water, the Chinese were least informed about climate impact.
Pakistani respondents reported the lowest levels of trust in the government; they are taking matters into their own hands.
After the unveiling of the report, a workshop was held for government and non-government officials, climate activists and journalists to find a way to ensure the study findings are used to better support people to adapt to their changing environments.
BBC Media Action will soon arrange similar programmes in the six other countries.
Damian Wilson, project director of Climate Asia, and Sonia Whitehead, senior research manger of BBC Media Action, replied to queries about the survey.
-With The Daily Star input
