The probable impacts of climate change on poverty - UNDP

Several early evidences <strong>of</strong> the above phenomenon and its associated <strong>impacts</strong> in the agriculture system are already
visible in Bangladesh. Erratic behaviour <strong>of</strong> rainfall and temperature, occurrence <strong>of</strong> extreme weather events and
salinity intrusion are key indication <strong>of</strong> <strong>change</strong>s in the climatic system. Impacts <strong>of</strong> <strong>change</strong>s in the climatic system on
production and human system are also being noticed in Bangladesh. Among the different production system,
agriculture will face significant adverse <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> due to <strong>change</strong>s in hydrological regime which
will be influenced by temperature, monsoon rainfall and regional water flow, and extreme weather events. More
water in monsoon season will cause floods and low water flow and erratic behaviour <strong>of</strong> rainfall will result in intense
and frequent drought.
<strong>The</strong> major environmental issues identified and addressed in the Fifth Five Year Plan are natural disasters, industrial
pollution, health and sanitation, deforestation, desertification, <strong>change</strong>s in climatic condition, increased intensity <strong>of</strong>
droughts, severity <strong>of</strong> floods, increased salinity/tidal surge or water stagnancy and deteriorating habitat <strong>of</strong> flora and
fauna. Since the Fifth Five Year Plan, there had been no other national development plan. But the government has
prepared a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) which has more or less reiterated the same concerns in various
forms within the document apart from a separate chapter on environment which includes resource management,
environmental health, biodiversity and multilateral environmental agreements including those related to <strong>climate</strong>
<strong>change</strong>. <strong>The</strong> Government <strong>of</strong> Bangladesh has prepared the second Poverty Reduction Strategy for the country and
adverse <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> is being considered as one <strong>of</strong> the key challenges in achieving different targets
including Millennium Development Goals.
<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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