The probable impacts of climate change on poverty - UNDP

Flood, drought, cyclone, sea level rise etc. are the major <strong>climate</strong> induced natural disasters which cause loss <strong>of</strong>
livestock, damage pasturelands, increase fodder scarcity, destroy shelters, decrease production, increase
management cost through incidence <strong>of</strong> diseases etc. It is also perceive that severe <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong>
and extremes on livestock affect poverty moderately. But the <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> sea level rise affects poverty and
economic growth <strong>of</strong> this particular sector severely as stated by the key experts. Drought, salinity intrusion and heat
wave affect the sector moderately and consequently, both poverty and economic growth are moderately affected.
Thus, the <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> on livestock affect poverty reduction activities and in attaining the MDGs.
<strong>The</strong> <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> extreme weather events especially, cyclone and storm surge on forestry affect poverty and
economic growth in different ways. <strong>The</strong> supper cyclone Sidr destructed one-quarter <strong>of</strong> the Sundarbans and
almost 100% afforested trees along its path. Poverty is severely affected by cyclone in the context <strong>of</strong> severity <strong>of</strong>
impact on forestry. Livelihoods <strong>of</strong> the poor and marginal communities in the forest areas, especially in the
Sundarbans area mostly depend on forest resources. Very pertinently, <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> shocks on forestry affect the
poor <strong>of</strong> that particular livelihood group. It is perceived that salinity intrusion severely affect forest trees and
resources especially in the coastal region. This has moderate <strong>impacts</strong> on poverty and economic growth. <strong>The</strong>
other shocks like flood and drought have moderate <strong>impacts</strong> on forestry which has low <strong>impacts</strong> on poverty and
economic growth. Besides this, erratic rainfall and temperature variation have low <strong>impacts</strong> on forestry and lower
<strong>impacts</strong> on poverty.
It is likely that the gradual <strong>change</strong> phenomena such as temperature rise and erratic behaviour <strong>of</strong> rainfall will lead
to increased water demand and drought while sea level rise and salinity intrusion will deteriorate water quality in
the coastal region. Climate <strong>change</strong> related extreme events particularly cyclone and storm surge will damage
water supply and sanitation infrastructure particularly in the coastal region.
Flood and cyclone are the two major climatic events which affect industry sector severely. <strong>The</strong> women workers
involved in handloom become fully unemployed during flood. In the coastal area, industry and infrastructure are
mainly affected by cyclone and storm surge. It destroys buildings <strong>of</strong> industries and machineries in one hand; on
the other hand, it destroys roads and other communication networks, power supply networks, water supply
networks, and causes health degradation and death <strong>of</strong> workers. Moreover, salinity has large scale <strong>impacts</strong> on
industry.
Human health suffers from different climatic variability and shocks in different ways. It is revealed from the
analysis that health is affected, especially during and after shocks like flood and cyclone. Flood affects sources <strong>of</strong>
drinking water and sanitation system through contamination which lead to out break <strong>of</strong> diarrhoea, cholera, skin
diseases including scabies, drowning, snake bite and even death. Cyclone, sea level rise and salinity intrusion
cause outbreaks <strong>of</strong> diarrhoea, cholera and other water borne diseases, use <strong>of</strong> saline water causes hypertension,
increase blood pressure, corrosive effects due to salt in air, scabies and other skin diseases. Besides that, drought,
erratic rainfall and temperature variation increase vector borne diseases, heat stroke, malnutrition, fever etc. Cold
wave creates respiratory problem, especially that <strong>of</strong> children and the old.
Strategies and actions suggested in the report to deal with adverse <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> present and future <strong>climate</strong>
<strong>change</strong> and related disasters are based on suggestions derived from different consultation workshops and key
experts’ interviews. Key principles considered in formulating strategies and actions were a) reduction <strong>of</strong> exposure
<strong>of</strong> income stream and production systems, b) reduction <strong>of</strong> sensitivity <strong>of</strong> the exposed systems, and c) increase
adaptive capacity <strong>of</strong> vulnerable communities. Institutional and capacity building aspects to support
implementation <strong>of</strong> actions have also been considered. It was found that there is similarity <strong>of</strong> suggestions
mentioned here and in the national <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> strategy and action plan.
In order to address adverse <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> and reduction <strong>of</strong> greenhouse gas emission in the context
<strong>of</strong> poverty and national economic growth, a number <strong>of</strong> <strong>change</strong>s have been suggested by different stakeholders
including <strong>change</strong>s in planning process while designing programs and projects by different ministries and
departments in the <strong>climate</strong> sensitive geographical region. <strong>The</strong>se include short, medium and long term
perspective <strong>of</strong> <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong>, create enabling conditions to incorporate <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> perspectives, ensure
participation <strong>of</strong> all relevant stakeholders particularly potential vulnerable communities to <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong>.
<strong>The</strong> Probable Impacts <strong>of</strong> Climate Change on Poverty and Economic Growth and
the Options <strong>of</strong> Coping with adverse Effect <strong>of</strong> Climate Change in Bangladesh
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