The world is experiencing intensifying effects of climate change, primarily driven by carbon emissions from the developed world's fossil fuel consumption, causing the earth progressively warmer and resulting in various natural disasters, including droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall patterns.
Bangladesh, one of the most vulnerable nations to the effects of climate change induced by the developed world's actions, has been experiencing extreme weather events caused by rising global temperatures, such as prolonged cyclones and erratic rainfall, significantly contributing to land degradation and the rising threat of desertification in the country, experts fear.
This year's World Environment Day, themed “Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience,” highlights the urgent need for coordinated action. Severe heatwaves and unusual weather patterns show the challenges posed by rising temperatures, erratic weather, and land degradation, making it essential to address these issues for a sustainable future.
Global warming worsens country’s land degradation
The year 2023 has been confirmed as the warmest calendar year on record, surpassing 2016, with a global average temperature of 14.98 degree Celsius — 0.17 degree Celsius higher than in 2016, according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).
ECMWF predictions indicate that the 12-month period ending in early 2024 will likely exceed 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, making extreme weather events more severe.
According to a recent report by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangladesh experienced 185 extreme weather events between 2000 and 2019, ranking it the eighth most vulnerable nation to climate change.
On top of that, Bangladesh is losing agricultural land at a rate of nearly one per cent every year, according to data from Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
Environmental experts warn of an impending crisis due to rising global temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, and recent natural disasters such as Cyclone Remal. These extreme geophysical events are significantly contributing to land degradation and the threat of desertification.
Green solutions needed to break climate change cycle
Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, chairman of the Department of Environmental Science at Stamford University Bangladesh and founder of the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), said that higher temperatures can lead to prolonged droughts, which dry out the soil and reduce its fertility. This process speeds up desertification, making the land less suitable for agriculture.
“Climate change has many detrimental effects, causing various disasters like cyclone Remal. To address this, we need to focus on reducing temperatures by increasing greenery and expanding water bodies,” Majumder added.
He warned, "If we do not take steps to reduce the temperature, the local use of air conditioning will increase, further raising temperatures and creating a vicious cycle of climate change, leading to desertification, reduced crop yields, droughts, and excessive rainfall."
A report by Climate Central, in collaboration with World Weather Attribution and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, revealed that Bangladesh experienced an additional 56.6 days of extreme heat between May 2023 and May 2024.
This April, Bangladesh endured a 25-day heatwave, contributing to ongoing high temperatures and drought conditions that signal the early stages of desertification.
"The difference between day and night temperatures is decreasing, especially in urban areas like Dhaka and Chattogram, where it averages 7-8 degrees Celsius, compared to 16-17 degrees Celsius in greener, less urbanised regions like Mymensingh and Rajshahi," Majumder noted.
Prolonged reduction in temperature differences could accelerate desertification and impact agricultural productivity, posing risks of food shortages.
“So this year's theme should be given special importance because it addresses our existential crisis. If we all work together in a coordinated and collaborative manner with this theme in mind, the crisis we fear may soon be reduced,” Majumder added.
Due to climate change, disaster patterns have also changed. Cyclone Remal lingered off the coast of Bangladesh for approximately 50 hours. Despite the cyclone's low wind speeds, the extensive damage it caused was exacerbated by the prolonged duration, leading to increased soil salinity.
Salinity is the amount of salt dissolved in a body of water. This spread of salinity from south to north is depleting freshwater reservoirs and contaminating soil, posing severe challenges for agriculture and water resources, experts have noted.
Policy hurdles, funding needed for climate action
Mizan R Khan, deputy director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), highlighted the challenges in effectively implementing many existing policies, citing issues such as insufficient responsibility, transparency, and accountability.
"Our densely populated country faces numerous environmental challenges. Effective domestic resource mobilisation and negotiated grant-based foreign aid are crucial," Khan said.
He emphasised the importance of inclusive planning and the role of NGOs in ensuring transparency and accountability.
Youth involvement is considered essential for addressing climate justice. Sohanur Rahman, Coordinator at YouthNet for Climate Justice, emphasised that developed countries, whose carbon emissions have significantly contributed to climate change, have a responsibility to provide funds to countries like Bangladesh to establish climate justice.
He also highlighted the need for proper training and capacity building for effective youth participation.
"The climate crisis is now an international issue that requires regional cooperation. Without proper training, including youth voices will be challenging," Rahman stated.
He urged increased awareness and resilience, saying, “Bangladesh loses one per cent of its GDP annually due to climate-related impacts and requires substantial climate funding from developed nations.”
