environmental concerns and sustainable development:...

Environmental Concerns and Sustainable Development:

Bangladesh

Ainun Nishat Ph.D.

Vice Chancellor, BRAC University

World Conference on Recreating South Asia: Democracy, Social Justice and Sustainable Development, New Delhi , 24‐26 February 2011,

There is a general consensus all over the world on need to integrate environmental concerns in development planning and management to ensure sustainability. Sustainable development required serious attention to environmental issues.

In

2000,

the

UN

had

set

8

MDG,

which

is

an

agenda

for

improving

the

human

condition

by

2015.

The

7th

MDG

deals

with

the

environmental

sustainability.

Environmental sustainability and human well‐being are very closely related.

Environmental

sustainability

is

a

must

for

any

strategy

to

ensure

social

justice.

In this presentation, we classify environmental issues that effects Bangladesh, on the basis of their origin under Global, Regional and National categories and suggest institutional framework for addressing them at national level, regional level and global levels.


Introduction

This presentation has five parts:

Part –

I Environmental concerns : Global Issue

Part -

II Environmental concerns : Regional Issue

Part -

III

Environmental concerns : National Issue

Part –

IV Environmental Governance in Bangladesh

Part –

V Institutional frame work for South Asia and Concluding Remarks


Part –

I Environmental concerns :

Global Issue


Global Issues

• Climate Change and Climate Variability

• Ozone layer depletion


• Climate change and climate variability are now real.

• A stable situation is not likely to be achieved soon.

• The IPCC‐FAR(2007), concluded that global warming is

unequivocally the result of human activities.

• Scientific consensus is clear; now the whole world collectively

needs to urgently focus on what to do about it.

• Climate change has risen to the top of international policy

agenda.

• Intense negotiations at global level are going on under aegis of

UNFCCC. All countries will be adversely affected.

Climate Change is real


Issues in global debate• CO2

emission has increased from 280 ppm before industrial

revolution to about 390 ppm. May reach 600+ ppm by end of

this century. Global average temperature is already up by about

1.0c; it may go up to by 6.0c as CO2 concentration goes up.

• GHG level must not exceed 350/450 ppm and temperature must

be controlled at 1.5/2.0c. Also the peak in emission should be

controlled by 2018/ 2020.

• Are these likely to be achieved? What were the goals set in Bali

in 2007? What has been the achievement in Copenhagen? What

has been the achievement in Cancun? Will the negotiation be

completed and a legally binding Agreement be finalized in

Durban in December 2011? …. by 2012 in Doha(?). When it will

be operationalized?• Will developing countries, specially the LDCs be able to cope

with adverse impacts of Climate Change and Climate variability?


Global temperature change

We are here


Presenter�

Presentation Notes�

Mann (1999) also showed the pattern of temperature change In the history of temperature rise, the year 1998 was the warmer year ever (Saunders, 1999). �

The Past is the Future

Current Trend

The Past is the Future

Un-quantifiedRisk


The Past is NOT the Future

Hydro-meteorological events• Increase in annual rainfall • Increase in droughts • Occurrence of short

duration heavy rainfall• Rainfall at unexpected

time• Rise in temperature• Increase in cyclones and

storm surge events

Other Impacts• Sea level rise

– Increase in salinity in coastal belt

– Inundation of coastal plains

• Snow melting and GLOFs

• Increase in river and coastal erosion

• Increase in vector borne disease


Probable adverse impacts

Where are our concerns North:

Snow melting and dry ski‐slopesFloodsHurricanes and typhoonsImpact on ecosystemSea level riseHealth issues

Malaria/ DengueHeat waves

Threat from MigrantsGlobal food shortageCapacity to cope with disasters Reduction of green house gas emission

level

===========================

Compromise with life style

South:Food and livelihood security Urban drainage problemsFloods and cyclone : forecasting and

warning disseminationImprovements in IWRM including management of trans‐

boundary rivers on a basis approach.Salinity increase & sea level riseRiver and coastal erosionDisaster managementHealth related concernsThreat of migration[Understanding impact on

ecosystem]

===========================

Question of future survival


Entire coastalbelt is vulnerableto Storm Surgesand Cyclones.

SIDR’sroute


Impact of AILA


Gabura Union, Shyamnagar, Sathakhira: No dry place …. World Conference on Recreating South Asia: Democracy, Social Justice and Sustainable Development, New Delhi , 24‐26 February 2011,

People migrate from Kalabogi Village, Sutarkahli, Dacope.


Flood Inundation Depth Map Existing Condition

Land Level (m PWD)

Inundation Depth (m)

7.00-19.004.00- 7.002.00- 4.000.00- 2.00

0.00- 0.150.15- 0.300.30- 0.600.60- 0.900.90- 1.801.80- 3.60Above 3.60

No Sea Level Rise Upstream flow: Average Year (Year 2000 flow)

Land Level (m PWD)


7.00-19.004.00- 7.002.00- 4.000.00- 2.00

0.00- 0.150.15- 0.300.30- 0.600.60- 0.900.90- 1.801.80- 3.60Above 3.60

Upstream flow: Average Year (Year 2000 flow)

Land Level (m PWD)


7.00-19.004.00- 7.002.00- 4.000.00- 2.00

0.00- 0.150.15- 0.300.30- 0.600.60- 0.900.90- 1.801.80- 3.60Above 3.60



Land Level (m) PWD)


7.00-19.004.00- 7.002.00- 4.000.00- 2.00

0.00- 0.150.15- 0.300.30- 0.600.60- 0.900.90- 1.801.80- 3.60Above 3.60

Land Level (m PWD)


7.00-19.004.00- 7.002.00- 4.000.00- 2.00

0.00- 0.150.15- 0.300.30- 0.600.60- 0.900.90- 1.801.80- 3.60Above 3.60


Flood Inundation Depth Map: Projection Year 2015Sea Level Rise 10 cm





Vulnerability to Flooding


SLR

and Salinity Intrusion


Parameters: drought,

flood and cyclone


Summery of major concerns for Bangladesh

• Threat of food security;• Threat of climate change displaced persons and

migrants;

• Increase in intensity and frequency of natural disasters;

• increase of salinity in coastal belt;• Stable situation is not likely to be achieved. • Adaptation is priority of Bangladesh• Urgent and bold steps in Mitigation at global

levelWorld Conference on Recreating South Asia: Democracy, Social Justice and Sustainable Development, New Delhi , 24‐26 February 2011,

Part -

II Environmental concerns :

Regional Issue


Regional Issues

• Water regulation in upper reaches and concerns in trans‐boundary water management.

• Deforestation in watershed.• Cross‐boundary pollution • Threat of oil spillage• Fishing in the bay


Ganges Basin, Brahmaputra Basin & Meghna Basin


Common Rivers


Dying GoraiDying Gorai


The Sundarbans is under threats

Top dying disease of Sundari tree attributed to declining freshwater supply

World Conference on Recreating South

Asia: Democracy, Social Justice and

Sustainable Development, New Delhi , 24‐

26 February 2011,

Summery of major concerns for Bangladesh

• Integrated water resources management (IWRM) practices that looks into spatial as well

as temporal distribution of water is urgently required.

• Basin‐wise approach, including watershed management be followed for IWRM practices.

• Progress in trans‐boundary related issues has been very slow, so far; urgent progress is

essential for Bangladesh; 92% of water enter Bangladesh from outside its territory.

• Present institutional set up is not working.


Part -

III Environmental concerns :

National Issue


Some National Issues

• Population and bearing capacity: out migration• Rapid Urbanization and expansion of slums• Food security, water security, energy security,

health security and security for livelihood under threat

• Agriculture loosing sustainability• Depletion of Forest resources• Disappearance of Wetland and Fisheries• Loss of Biodiversity and medicinal plants• Degradation of natural resources base• Desertification process


Sustainability Indicators

• Status of sustainability indicators in Bangladesh: all show a negative trend

– Land Degradation and loss of soil quality– Loss of Wetland – Degradation of Forests and Loss of Forest Lands– Loss of Biodiversity– Pollution – Ground water contamination with arsenic – Climate change and vulnerability– Unplanned urbanization


Soil Salinity Intrusion


Population projection

0

50

100

150

1998

2010

2025

2040

Population (millions)

Rural UrbanWorld Conference on Recreating South Asia: Democracy, Social Justice and Sustainable Development, New Delhi , 24‐26 February 2011,

Land Degradation

• It occurs in the form

of – Soil quality loss due to

salinity intrusion,

fertility decline,

nutrient imbalance

– Top soil loss through

erosion

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

Perc

enta

ge o

f org

anic

mat

eria

l

Madhupur Tract Barind Tract Northeast HillyAreas

1969-70

1989-90




26 February 2011,

Arsenic Disaster

• Arsenic contamination in

Bangladesh is possibly the largest

mass poisoning case in the World

• 41 districts out of 64 have high

arsenic conc. in ground water

• 60% of the total country is

contaminated

• The whole southwest region is

severely affected

• Some eighty million people are at

risk

Occurrence of Arsenic




26 February 2011,

Part –

IV

Environmental Governance and Bangladesh


Environmental Conservation Act 1995

EIA has been made compulsory for all projects/ interventions through 1995 ECA; elaborated through

1997 Rules and Regulations; Four colour codes for projects : Green project, Orange‐I

Orange‐II, and Red. MoEF

and DoE to administer the provisions of 1995 Act and 1997 rules and regulations.

EMP is submitted but is not followed and monitored; ETPs

have been set up by some industrialists but they are not operated properly.


Some more issues in Water Management

• Provision of “Environmental flow”

is not made. No water is left

out in rivers for nature. • Interests of Aquatic life and Navigation is ignored. • Concerns are about ownership of rivers and its management.• Development of flood management dykes have cut‐off the

rivers from floodplains.• Coastal embankment and drainage congestion in Khulna‐

Jessore

area is a major developmental debate. • Revenue collection through leasing, is still main focus in

common property resource management, in wetlands.


Some issues in Forest and biodiversity management

• 17% of land of the country belongs to Forest department . Possibly the area

of forest is is

less than 6%. Forest area is shrinking. Revenue collection is still

main focus of teh

Forest Department. Introduction of fast growing trees has

damaged local biodiversity.

• Forest Protected areas are declared under the 1973 Wild life Act. Ecologically

Critical Area (ECA) are declared under Environmental Conservation Act of

1995. But conservation activities are still in infancy. Management practices in

the Sundarbans

are being looked into?

• Rights of forest dwellers and indigenous people are not protected.

• Local robust varieties of cultivars that can provide solutions to the demand s

of salinity tolerant, drought tolerant and flood tolerant varieties of crops

have not been conserved in‐situ.

• Introduction of GMOs

may be threat to the independence of local farming

communities in production of seeds for their own use.

• Medicinal plants and traditional healing practices are on wane. IPR and ABS

issues are not understood. Folk wisdom and traditional practices

not being

conserved.


Land degradation and Desertification

• Productivity of agricultural land are on decline.

• Organic content is getting reduced. More inorganic fertilizers are being used to maintain

productivity level. Micro‐nutrient deficiency‐ boron, sulphur, zinc etc. Is reported.

• River bank erosion is affects the poor people resulting in out‐migration.


Response to Climate Change

• Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, 2009. Six

pillars (Themes) of BCCSAP– Food security, social protection & health security– Comprehensive disaster management– Infrastructure development– Research and knowledge management– Mitigation and low carbon development– Capacity building –

institutional and human

• Capacity building for such activities are essential.


Summing up of issues at national level

• Populations increase is possibly the main driver for environmental

degradation.

• In a “land‐hungry”

country, incorporation of environment concerns in

development activities and resource management may appear to a tall

order but common people are aware of its necessity.

• Considerations for environmental governance is still not followed in

practice. Weak local government institutions make it more difficult.

• We have excellent policies– Water Policy, Forest Policy, Agriculture Policy, Environment Policy, etc.

• We excellent documents– NEMAP, NCS, NBSAP, NAP.

• Bangladesh is signatory of all relevant MEAs.• We have excellent experience in community based approach in resource

management. Proper environmental governance is definitely possible.

• Faithful implementation of National laws, rules and regulation is urgent.


Part –

V Institutional frame work for South Asia

and Concluding Remarks


Scope of regional cooperation

• Advanced countries in the region may support others in

pollution control and effective management of environment

at national level.

• With climate change, the monsoons (and hence droughts and

floods) are expected to become more intense and less

predictable. Coping with these mounting extremes in the river

basins of South Asia will require more basin‐wide information

to predict and warn against floods, for example. It calls for

more basin‐wise river management, with coordinated

capacity to lower flood peaks and augment low‐season flows.


Cooperation among South Asian Countries in global negotiation process ………..

• Complex Negotiation process ‐‐

major groups/ sub‐groups are

• G‐77 and China, EU, Umbrella Group, Environmental

Integrity Group, • LDCs, AOSIS, Africa, GURULAC, OPEC

• Group dynamics is complex.• Will BASIC emerge as a formal negotiation group.• Will Bangladesh and Maldives along with Nepal initiate

a Most Vulnerable Country (MVC) group

• Can SAARC be an informal group, to start with.


Possible position of South Asian Countries

• Build capacity to be recipient of funds along with technological support.

• Join hands in development of climate change tolerant varieties of cultivars and development of appropriate cropping pattern .

• Countries like India may lead in development of renewable energy (wind, solar, tidal, geothermal etc) in the region.

• Putting emphasis on disaster preparedness and disaster management;


South Asia’s possible approach at global level

• All countries to take responsibilities for mitigation, on the basis of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capacities, supported by finance and technology by developed countries.

• The proposal to mobilize $100 b a year by 2020 for mitigation only is a puzzle. How can Adaptation be forgotten in post 2015 period? Funds for Adaptation be available on a prioritized basis.

• Urgent attention on issues related to Climate Change displaced persons.

• Review the Cancun Agreement and exchange views to develop common position on as many issues as possible.

• Work towards a legally binding instrument.


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