Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to climate change, which significantly impacts its drinking water resources. It is located in the Bengal Delta Plain, one of the world’s largest river deltas. As sea levels continue to rise, increased flooding from annual monsoons and frequent cyclones is expected to severely impact this resource-challenged country. This chapter reviews the current state of drinking water in Bangladesh, forecasts future scenarios under climate change, and suggests integrated, community-based solutions to tackle these challenges. It also discusses how climate change and rising sea levels affect drinking water scarcity and safety in Bangladesh. Additionally, it describes the climate-related impacts on Bangladesh’s freshwater reserves and outlines community-based strategies to address these issues, including reducing emissions, sequestering carbon, building more resilient cities and communities, and combating misinformation. Finally, it examines community-based solutions to these challenges. Findings show that climate change exacerbates existing issues related to water quality and availability, significantly impacting public health and economic stability. The water level of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna River delta in Bangladesh is currently rising at approximately 3 millimeters per year. This rate is slightly faster than the average sea-level rise of about 2 millimeters per year. The disparity in water levels is primarily due to the subsidence of the river delta, which has maximum subsidence rates ranging from 1 millimeter to 7 millimeters per year. This subsidence is largely driven by groundwater withdrawal for drinking, particularly around Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Approximately 21% of Bangladesh’s land experiences flooding during the regular monsoon season. Rising sea levels, resulting from climate change, are expected to drastically reduce the amount of freshwater available for drinking in Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s topography, geology, and climate all contribute to rising sea levels. The rate of increase is worsened by global climate change and human activities. The study promotes a comprehensive approach that integrates better water management practices, alternative water sources, and community involvement to strengthen resilience and secure sustainable drinking water supplies. Community-based initiatives such as climate change education and the construction of dykes and cyclone shelters to confront these threats will aid in mitigating this challenge.

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Climate Change and Its Effect on Bangladesh’s Drinking Water: Status, Projections, and Community-Based Integrated Solutions

  • Azizur R. Molla,
  • Afnan Rahman

摘要

Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to climate change, which significantly impacts its drinking water resources. It is located in the Bengal Delta Plain, one of the world’s largest river deltas. As sea levels continue to rise, increased flooding from annual monsoons and frequent cyclones is expected to severely impact this resource-challenged country. This chapter reviews the current state of drinking water in Bangladesh, forecasts future scenarios under climate change, and suggests integrated, community-based solutions to tackle these challenges. It also discusses how climate change and rising sea levels affect drinking water scarcity and safety in Bangladesh. Additionally, it describes the climate-related impacts on Bangladesh’s freshwater reserves and outlines community-based strategies to address these issues, including reducing emissions, sequestering carbon, building more resilient cities and communities, and combating misinformation. Finally, it examines community-based solutions to these challenges. Findings show that climate change exacerbates existing issues related to water quality and availability, significantly impacting public health and economic stability. The water level of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna River delta in Bangladesh is currently rising at approximately 3 millimeters per year. This rate is slightly faster than the average sea-level rise of about 2 millimeters per year. The disparity in water levels is primarily due to the subsidence of the river delta, which has maximum subsidence rates ranging from 1 millimeter to 7 millimeters per year. This subsidence is largely driven by groundwater withdrawal for drinking, particularly around Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Approximately 21% of Bangladesh’s land experiences flooding during the regular monsoon season. Rising sea levels, resulting from climate change, are expected to drastically reduce the amount of freshwater available for drinking in Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s topography, geology, and climate all contribute to rising sea levels. The rate of increase is worsened by global climate change and human activities. The study promotes a comprehensive approach that integrates better water management practices, alternative water sources, and community involvement to strengthen resilience and secure sustainable drinking water supplies. Community-based initiatives such as climate change education and the construction of dykes and cyclone shelters to confront these threats will aid in mitigating this challenge.