core sector communique

Climate Change Adaptation, Biodiversity Conservation and Socio-Economic Sustainable Development for the Sundarbans Area of Bangladesh

 

The Sundarbans forest, the largest single mangrove ecosystem in the world, lies within both Bangladesh and India, with about 60 percent of the eco-region within Bangladesh. The ecological importance of the Sundarbans is associated with its rich biodiversity and the ecosystem’s valuable ecological services. The area of the Bangladesh Sundarbans is roughly 6017 sq. km, of which roughly 1874 sq. km is water area. About 1400 sq. km of the total Sundarbans forest is protected from exploitation. While settlement within the forest is prohibited, the livelihoods of approximately 1.2 million of people depend on extraction of the Sundarbans’ resources.

Available data suggests that inhabitants of the Sundarbans’ Impact Zone (SIZ) are far from achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Poverty is widespread in the regions surrounding the forest. Based on the updated poverty map of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), at least 48% of the population of the upazilas surrounding the Sundarbans is below the “upper poverty line.” In the Satkhira district, the population below the upper poverty line is at least 60%. The low income levels in the region -- together with poor transport systems and challenges in providing access to incomes, livelihood, education and health – have all contributed to the difficulties of daily life in the SIZ. Low income levels mean that in order to survive many SIZ inhabitants are required to unsustainably exploit the Sundarbans Reserved Forest for timber, fish, shrimp seed, and other forest produce.

Sea level rise and extreme weather events compound the development challenges of the Sundarbans area. Natural subsidence occurs in the area as a result of complex hydrological and soil processes. Rising sea levels associated with global climate change are expected to worsen conditions in the future. In addition, the Sundarbans area is subject to recurrent cyclonic storms and floods. Available climate change models suggest that the intensity of cyclonic storms will increase over the coming decades, threatening the existence of the Sundarbans area.

In response to a request from the Government of Bangladesh, a World Bank fielded team in October, 2009 consulted with relevant government agencies, professional/research institutions and development partners to understand ongoing and planned activities aimed at addressing climate change risk, conserving bio-diversity and managing development challenges in the Bangladesh Sundarbans and its impact zone.

In light of its discussions with government officials and those implementing complementary projects, the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) suggested that World Bank’s technical assistance tec should include: i) identify all population pressures that are impacting the Sundarbans and the inhabitants of nearby areas with ecological and economic ties to the forest; ii) assist the GoB in identifying climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic development priorities, and creating an estimation of the economic value of the Sundarbans; iii) develop a set of efficient and effective interventions that would allow the GoB to preserve and enhance those benefits; and iv) assist the GoB in the design and development of interventions for the conservation of the forest and the socio-economic development of the population in the impact zone.