the lived experience of climate change
TRANSCRIPT
The Lived Experience of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Low-Income
Settlements in Bangladesh
Sally Cawood
IDPM, University of Manchester
Talk Outline
1. Overview: Urban Poverty and Climate Change
2. Bangladesh Context3. ClimUrb Project (2010-2013)
3.1. Climate Change Impacts in Khulna (Parvin, A et al)3.2 Household Adaptation Strategies in Dhaka (Banks, N)3.3. Water Scarcity in Paikgachha and Kalaroa (Opel, A)
4. Conclusions
1. Urban Poverty and Climate Change
‘One billion people across the world live in informal settlements, lacking
infrastructure, basic services, and secure housing, and are therefore
particularly at risk to the impacts of climate change’
(Mitlin and Satterthwaite, 2014)
2. Bangladesh Context
(Eusuf, 2010 in Banks et al, 2011: 488)
3. ClimUrb (2010-2013): Examples
• Urban poor face increasing levels of vulnerability dueto the impacts of climate change related hazards (e.g.sea level rise, increased cyclone activity, intense heat,unpredictable rainfall and flooding).
• Rapid migration to urban areas is fuelled by thedestruction of rural assets and livelihoods,
• Climate variability exacerbates poverty and exposureto minor shocks and major disasters in low-incomesettlements. But...
...What is the lived experience of climate change for individuals, households and communities in low-
income settlements?
3.1. Climate Change Impacts in RupshaSlum, Khulna (Parvin, A et al)
• Research Aim: To explore the impact of Climate Change and AdaptivePractices in Rupsha Slum, Khulna
• Methods: Exploratory case study (interviews, FDGs, transect walks, socio-spatial surveys and observations)
• Key Findings
- Adaption in three spatial domains: settlement, livelihood and dwelling unit,
- Top down, expert led planning neglects innovative practices of urban poorand results in inadequate policy responses,
- Analysis of the built environment is central to understanding past, presentand future impacts of, and adaptation to, climate change.
3.2. Household Adaptation Strategies, Dhaka (Banks, N)
• Research Aim: To investigate coping strategies of urban poor households(HHs) in four low-income settlements in central and peripheral Dhaka
• Methods: 22 FGDs, community surveys (420 HHs) and 77 in-depthinterviews with ‘coping’ and ‘improving’ HHs
• Key Findings
- HHs face endemic social, economic, political and climate insecurity,
- Vulnerability varies considerably, with coping capacity reinforced (orblocked) by internal stratification and informal governance,
- Lived experience as ‘household-community-state’ interface,
- Heterogeneity within communities overlooked.
3.3. Water Scarcity in Paikgachha and Kalaroa (Opel, A)
• Research Aim: To Investigate the impacts of climate change on (safe) wateravailability in two coastal urban centres Paikgachha and Kalaroa
• Methods: In-depth case studies (secondary materials, observations)
• Key Findings
- Urban population growth, climate change and water scarcity interlinked,
- Unequal access for low-income residents who cannot afford privatevendors at 321% higher cost than government subsidized water sources,
- Severe implications of water salinity and contamination for urban poor,especially those who use deep tube wells,
- Relocation only viable option? Future logistical, economic and ethicaldilemmas.
4. Conclusions
• Three Key Observations
(i) Climate change is (and will be) contributing to increased levels of urban poverty in Bangladesh and other developing nations,
(ii) Climate change exacerbates existing challenges facing poorer citizens and will bring new (direct and indirect) problems and,
(iii) Effectiveness of the urban poor’s adaptation practices depends on the degree of interplay between people, resources and institutions.
• Policy Implications and Ways Forward
-Doable actions, pragmatic policies and provocative ideas-Feasibility, practicality and desirability.
- Thank You -
Sally Cawood
IDPM, University of Manchester