Figure 5 Potential impact of sea-level rise on Bangladesh Rekacewicz, UNEPGRID-Arendal, 2000
Impacts of climate change are already being felt in the country. But again, it is difficult to find a systematic study of adaptation strategies adopted by local people. One paper mentions that
indigenous strategies remain the dominant form of response to climate disaster Srinivasan, 2004. That same paper gives a short description of coping strategies utilized by indigenous
people in Bangladesh in times of flood, and compares their utilization over a few years. The strategies include improvement of housing conditions, taking shelter in elevated grounds,
selling land, fuel and dry food storage, or diet change. The author of the paper then calls on the importance and value of integrating indigenous knowledge and adaptation strategies into
climate change adaptation policies. In January 2005, an “International workshop on community level adaptation to climate
change” was organized jointly by the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies BCAS, the International Institute for Environment and Development IIED, IUCN Bangladesh and the
Regional and International Networking Group RING. While the only documents available are the PowerPoint presentations given during the workshop, one of them focused on
consultative meetings with local people, where adaptations strategies were looked at
Mahfuz, 2005.
4.1.4 Way forward
As has been mentioned throughout this report, studies on indigenous communities adaptation to climate change and their inclusion in policy processes are rather scarce. The two case
studies above present a few strategies put into place by indigenous communities to cope with changing environments. It is however also recognised that climate change will have
unprecedented impacts that might jeopardise the very survival of some peoples, whether located in the Arctic, on small islands or in other highly vulnerable areas. Further research
into these two cases would nevertheless certainly prove useful in order to gain further
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understanding of how to combine traditional and scientific knowledge, and how to translate this in decision-making processes. Additionally, mapping out indigenous communities and the
most vulnerable island and coastal zones would give a sense of the priority areas to deal with. As mentioned in the IPCC report, sea-level rise and climate change will significantly impact
on communities and their social and cultural values. It is crucial that those affected, and especially the most vulnerable peoples, are integrated as active shapers of their future.
4.1.5 References ACIA,
2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. Executive Summary. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
www.acia.uaf.edu
Arctic Council , 2006. URL:
www.arctic-council.org
Bindoff , N.L., J. Willebrand, V. Artale, A. Cazenave, J. Gregory, S. Gulev, K. Hanawa,
C. Le Quéré, S. Levitus, Y. Nojiri, C.K. Shum, L.D. Talley and A. Unnikrishnan, 2007: Observations : Oceanic Climate Change and Sea Level. In: Climate Change 2007: The
physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
[Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor and H.L. Miller eds]. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
Couzin
, J. 2007. Opening doors to native knowledge, Science, Vol. 315, pp. 1518-19.
German Advisory Council on Global Change
WBGU, The Future Oceans – Warming up, Rising High, Turning Sour, Special Report, Berlin 2006;
http:www.wbgu.dewbgu_publications_special.html
Hopkin
, M. 2007. Climate takes aim, Nature, vol. 446, n°7137, pp. 706-07
Indian and Northern Affairs
, 2007. Adaptation Strategies. URL: www.ainc-
inac.gc.caclcadpstr_e.html
IPCC
, 2001. Working Group II Contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third Assessment Report. Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation and
Vulnerability.
Mahfuz
, U. 2005. Presentation. URL: http:www.bcas.netCCAdaptationDocumentation.asp
Nuttall
, M. 2001. Indigenous peoples and climate change research in the Arctic, Indigenous Affairs, Vol. 4, pp. 26-33.
Rekacewicz
, P. UNEPGRID-Arendal, 2000. Potential impact of sea-level rise on Bangladesh.
http:maps.grida.nogographicpotential_impact_of_sea_level _rise_on_bangladesh
.
Srinivasan
, A. 2004. Local knowledge for facilitating adaptation to climate change in Asia and the Pacific: policy implications,
IGES-CP Working Paper Series 2004-002, IGES Climate Policy Project. URL:
http:www.iges.or.jpencppdfreport8.pdf
Sustainable Development Networking Programme SDNP
, 2004. Indigenous peoples of Bangladesh.
www.sdnpbd.orgsdiinternational_daysIndigenous- people2004indigenous_people_bdindex.html
UNEPGRID , 2007. URL:
http:www.grida.noclimatevital33.htm
United Nations , 2007. UN Atlas of the Oceans. URL:
www.oceansatlas.com
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4.2 The Tropical Forest Belt and Climate Change
