Building barriers against the rising sea
Monday, 13 December 2010
BANGLADESH has a 134-point programme to enhance the country's coping strengths against climate change. But there are concerns-- internal as well as external -- about how sound and appropriate such plans would be to raise Bangladesh's protection against the most serious threat from climate change which is sea-level rise.
If the sea level rises by a meter in the present century in line with, what are called, scientific predictions, the same would displace about 30 million Bangladeshis as climate refugees. The 134-point programme, drawn up by the government of Bangladesh, appears aimed at meeting mainly the short term ill prospects of climate change like more storms, floods, tidal surges, etc. For coping with these, the programme has stressed on improving carrying capacities of rivers through dredging, tree planting, building of cyclone shelters, etc., leaving aside the ultimate and most feared of the changes - sea-level rise.
But sea-level rise possibility is the area where Bangladesh needs to be proactive from now and concentrate its energies. It presently has some capacities and know-how on river dredging, tree plantation, building cyclone shelters, etc. But building barriers to a rising sea such as sea walls, dykes and associated engineering and physical works would require both funds and expertise on a large scale. This is the vital area where Bangladesh can gain the most by drawing from the climate fund, being sought at the climate change conference at Cancun.
Presently, Bangladesh simply does not have the resources or will even acquire them in the near future, to take on effectively massive works as barriers against the sea. Therefore, it should look forward to readying suitable plans to make itself the beneficiary of adequate funds and supports from the climate fund and embark on completing projects that would be designed mainly to keep the sea at bay, before time runs out.
Md Obayadullah
Gulshan II
Dhaka.
If the sea level rises by a meter in the present century in line with, what are called, scientific predictions, the same would displace about 30 million Bangladeshis as climate refugees. The 134-point programme, drawn up by the government of Bangladesh, appears aimed at meeting mainly the short term ill prospects of climate change like more storms, floods, tidal surges, etc. For coping with these, the programme has stressed on improving carrying capacities of rivers through dredging, tree planting, building of cyclone shelters, etc., leaving aside the ultimate and most feared of the changes - sea-level rise.
But sea-level rise possibility is the area where Bangladesh needs to be proactive from now and concentrate its energies. It presently has some capacities and know-how on river dredging, tree plantation, building cyclone shelters, etc. But building barriers to a rising sea such as sea walls, dykes and associated engineering and physical works would require both funds and expertise on a large scale. This is the vital area where Bangladesh can gain the most by drawing from the climate fund, being sought at the climate change conference at Cancun.
Presently, Bangladesh simply does not have the resources or will even acquire them in the near future, to take on effectively massive works as barriers against the sea. Therefore, it should look forward to readying suitable plans to make itself the beneficiary of adequate funds and supports from the climate fund and embark on completing projects that would be designed mainly to keep the sea at bay, before time runs out.
Md Obayadullah
Gulshan II
Dhaka.