How climate change undermines national security of Bangladesh

The emergence of climate change as one of Bangladesh's greatest non-traditional security issues is practically indisputable. Climate change mostly refers to the long-term changing of the climate and weather patterns of the planet. Since the 1980s, climate change has become increasingly catastrophic and severe due to human activities. The industrial revolution and subsequent waves of economic activity have had catastrophic effects on the environment and have accelerated global warming.

According to Ban Ki Moon, the greatest threat to a sustainable future is climate change. Countries, institutions, politicians, and activists from all over the world concur that the effects of climate change are clearly obvious and are wreaking havoc on our way of life and property, irrespective of geographical boundaries.

Bangladesh is very susceptible to climate change-related catastrophes. Extreme floods and powerful storms continue to pose a threat to Bangladesh's economic development as a result of climate change. These threats are now more vicious than they have ever been. In 2018, the US government said that more than 90 million Bangladeshis live in "high climate exposure regions," of which 53 million are at risk of "very high" exposure.

In 2021, despite producing only 0.56% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country ranked seventh on the Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) list of countries most susceptible to climate disaster. Recent research by "The Climate Reality Project" shows that between 2000 and 2019, 185 major natural disasters in Bangladesh cost the economy of the country $3.72 billion.
Two climate change factors are affecting Bangladesh. The first is an internal one, and the second is an external one. Internal factors include the degradation of biodiversity; deforestation; unplanned urbanization; industrialization; and population growth; whereas external forces include the acceleration of global warming; carbon emissions; depletion of the ozone layer; and sea-level rise. These two factors are currently undermining the national and human security of Bangladesh.

For example, climate change threatens Bangladesh's food security directly. Frequent flooding and increasing sea levels are responsible for the worrisome rise in salinity of arable lands. Flooding accounts for roughly 56% of all economic damage caused by extreme weather events in Bangladesh.The annual economic loss, according to the World Bank, is $570 million. Moreover, floods worsen inflation, poverty, and criminal activities in society.

Moreover, increasing sea levels pose a threat to crop production in Bangladesh. Between 1973 and 2009, the amount of seawater penetrating Bangladeshi agricultural areas grew by 26%. This problem not only affects the supply of fresh water for irrigation but also precipitously decreases crop production and agricultural sector jobs. It also makes less clean drinking water available in the coastal area of Bangladesh.
 
In addition, the rapid rise in sea level has a negative impact on internal migration, diminishes arable land, and exacerbates poverty in the coastal region of Bangladesh. According to the World Bank, only two-thirds of the country's land is merely five metres above sea level. According to one estimate, twenty percent of the land will be submerged by 2050, and one in every seven people will be internally displaced.

This displacement of people is already taking place in Bangladesh, especially due to river erosion. Many people have lost their homes and lives as a result of flooding, river erosion, and cyclones, and have been forced to flee to urban regions. The majority of them are seeking refuge in urban slums or on the streets. Every day, approximately 2,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) arrive in Dhaka. A lot of the time, these poor people are involved in things like child labor, carjacking, drug trafficking, and political conflicts.

Moreover, sea-level rise is expected to worsen unemployment and poverty in the coastal region of Bangladesh. Bangladesh's 19 coastal districts are home to 29% of the total population, among whom 52% are absolute poor. By 2050, 11% of Bangladesh's land will be destroyed, and by 2080, 40% of arable land will be lost. It means that economic activity along the coast will go away and that poverty will get worse.

The worsening of current unemployment and poverty has far-reaching ramifications for the national economy and security of Bangladesh. Poor, unemployed, and displaced people are especially prone to being recruited by local and international criminal gangs to commit illicit activities including smuggling, drug supply, and organized crimes. These activities will not only erode socio-political order and instability but also decelerate the country's economic growth.

The water crisis is another quandary in Bangladesh currently. Due to climate change, the supply of fresh drinking water is constantly declining as the rivers are drying up. The interior water bodies are continuously being affected by heavy industrial and agricultural toxic waste and chemical fertilizers. According to UNICEF, three out of five households in Bangladesh drink water from polluted sources. Each year, 8.5% of deaths are related to water and sanitation problems.
This shows that the climate-induced water issue has emerged as a severe concern for public health in Bangladesh. Already, large cities like Dhaka and Chattogram are suffering from a serious fresh-drinking water crisis. This has led to excessive extraction of groundwater to suit the demands of people.

As the gap between the source and demand for fresh water is widening, it is conceivable that the country may soon suffer violent conflict over the availability of fresh water. However, to prevent such a disaster demands timely and effective steps and implementation plans by both the international community and the local government.

To achieve a safer and brighter world, the global community must come together with a determined political desire and collaborate to confront the problem and implement effective steps to ensure compliance. In this respect, Bangladesh's government must also promote eco-friendly policies to halt domestic pollution and foster crop diversification to ensure food security, employment opportunities, and sustained economic growth in the future.
The writer is a student,
Department of International Relations,University of Dhaka