Millions of poor people in Bangladesh are risking their lives, homes and
land because they are forced to live along constantly changing river
systems. Christian Aid highlights their plight on World Environment Day
and ahead of the Earth summit in Rio this month, where world leaders
will meet to secure renewed political commitment to sustainable
development
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| A solitary woman navigates her way home through a
vast network of flooded fields in south-west Bangladesh. The country has
more than 700 rivers and tributaries, and is now widely recognised as
one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change |
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| This low-lying coastal region has always
experienced cyclone activity, heavy monsoon seasons and flooding from
Himalayan melt-water, but climatic changes and rising sea levels, as
well as extensive deforestation, have increased its fragility |
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| Many of Bangladesh's 150 million inhabitants live
and work precariously along constantly shifting river-beds. More than
75% of the population live on less than $2 a day and most are
subsistence farmers. Fishing, and crab- and duck-farming are popular
ways to make a living, while others cultivate rice or collect and sell
vegetables |
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| The river tributaries are met by the onward march
of the Bay of Bengal, as rising sea levels and annual cyclones push the
salty waters further inland. Fresh water once used to quench thirst and
to feed crops is being pushed upstream, having a significant impact on
local communities |
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| When the seawaters retreat, the ground they once
occupied is filled with saltwater and becomes impossible to farm with
traditional crops – the soil can take up to four years to recover. Any
remaining water sources are contaminated and most communities are forced
to embrace new farming techniques – breeding 'hardier' livestock and
cultivating saline-resistant vegetables and rice – just to survive |
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| Christian Aid is helping poor communities adapt to
their changing environment. After Rashida's home and land were
destroyed by the sea during Cyclone Aila in 2009, Christian Aid partners
built her a storm-resistant house and trained her to farm shrimp, which
thrive in this new salty environment |
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| But millions of Bangladeshis are likely to be
displaced in the coming decades, as fresh drinking water and
agricultural land becomes harder to find and low-lying coastal areas are
increasingly submerged |
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| NGOs such as Christian Aid are urging
decision-makers at the Earth summit in Rio to achieve critical progress
towards a fair green economy, as well as vital development to lift
vulnerable communities in Bangladesh and around the world, out of
poverty |
