Bangladesh needs strong preparations to deal with the effects of climate change
Sea level rise is due to climate change or warming. Bangladesh has been hearing reports of displacement, land loss, and disease outbreaks for a long time, but Moody says rising sea levels are increasing the debt risk. Due to natural disasters, the economy of the related countries, including Bangladesh, will be under pressure.
Moody has warned that debt pressure will increase, and investment and capacity will decrease. At the same time, government development activities will be affected. Besides increasing the number of losses in the banking sector, various threats, including foreign pressure, will have to be faced.
It is accurate, and we cannot stop climate change. Similarly, the process of sea level rise cannot completely stop. But severe environmental damage can avoid. This is the main agenda of the global climate movement.
We should prioritize national and international joint management to manage security risks caused by rising sea levels. Industrialized countries should come forward to meet the global commitment to reduce carbon emissions. We need to focus on capacity and adaptation to face the climate crisis.
It must ensure that this adaptation is compatible with the environment, nature, and lifestyle. Emphasis should place on river, sediment, and water management. Green economic and development plans should implement.
Environmentally conscious citizens and states are capable of meeting the challenges of the future. In this case, not only planning but also implementation should be important.
Rising sea levels will have adverse effects on economies around the world. Coastal infrastructure, such as seaports, roads, and rail links, will be affected. Global trade will disrupt as ports become less efficient. This will reduce the capacity of coastal cities and states to serve people, making states fragile.
More investment in solar energy and agricultural research is needed to combat the effects of climate change. Apart from foreign investment, particular emphasis should give to Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). All in all, a larger-scale coordinated regional initiative is needed.
As a developing country, Bangladesh needs more investment in climate change. We are taking various initiatives, including Embankment renovation, to prevent damage.
Environmentally friendly investment is being encouraged in the country. International cooperation should increase to deal with the effects of climate change.
Agriculture and indigenous industries in South Asia are severely affected by climate change. If there is a flood in one country, it affects other countries.
But in the case of drought, the opposite is seen. As a result, regional coordinated initiatives need to increase to deal with the effects of climate change.
Bangladesh must prepare for dire situations. Landless rural families in Bangladesh usually migrate to big cities like Dhaka and Chattagram for work because industrial employment is centered in these two cities. Unplanned population growth has already made Dhaka uninhabitable for the slum-dwelling working class.
Chattagram is also at risk. Indeed, these two cities will be unable to accommodate one and a half crore slum dwellers by 2050 and five crore slum dwellers by 2100. Planning to transform several small towns into large industrialized cities is now the solution for Bangladesh.
To implement this plan, we have to choose small towns and turn them into big cities in the coming decades.
Each of these cities must make suitable for human habitation. In many districts, the government has intelligently initiated the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs).
To create new urban hubs, it’s vital to construct a government hospital, university, school, and power plant nearby each SEZ. Along with industrialization, the city must increase education, medical services, and electricity supply.
We must identify low-lying cities that could be permanently submerged as sea levels rise. Many climatologists believe the sea level will rise by three to four meters in the next century.
Retaining low-lying cities above water would require considerable investments in Embankments and dams. Cities selected for expansion must be at least five meters above sea level.
Industries and foreign investment are desirable there. Every city will require major investments in roads, drainage, electrical, power, water treatment, and waste management.
Carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels is one of the leading causes of global warming. A fossil fuel tax can incentivize companies to invest in the renewable energy sector.
Taxing polluting industries and fossil fuel use is the best way to reduce the rate of global warming. We have known about the problems caused by sea level rise for decades. We need to start preparing to deal with this problem rationally.
Millions of Bangladeshis will be displaced and lose their homes and land. We must create a city to provide them with jobs and a high standard of living.
