Management Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
National Research Center for Resettlement, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
BMC Public Health. 2023 Sep 6;23(1):1737. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16497-8.
Bangladesh is one of the countries at risk of natural disasters due to climate change. In particular, inhabitants of its riverine islands (char) confront ongoing climatic events that heighten their vulnerability. This study aims to assess social vulnerability, impacts, and adaptation strategies to climate change in the riverine island areas of Bangladesh.
A mixed-method approach incorporating qualitative and quantitative procedures was used on data collected from 180 households of riverine islands in Gaibandha, Bangladesh. The social vulnerability of riverine island communities was assessed based on their adaptation capacity, sensitivity, and exposure to climatic stressors.
The findings show that char dwellers' vulnerability, impacts, and adaptation capability to climate change vary significantly depending on their proximity to the mainland. Social vulnerability factors such as geographical location, fragile and low-grade housing conditions, illiteracy and displacement, climate-sensitive occupation and low-income level, and so on caused to the in-height vulnerability level of these particular areas. This study also displays that climate change and its associated hazards cause severe life and livelihood concerns for almost all households. In this case, the riverine dwellers employed several adaptation strategies to enhance their way of life to the disaster brought on changing climate. However, low education facilities, deficiency of useful information on climate change, poor infrastructure, and shortage of money are still the supreme hindrance to the sustainability of adaptation.
The findings underscore the importance of evaluating the susceptibility of local areas to climate change and emphasize the need for tailored local initiatives and policies to reduce vulnerability and enhance adaptability in communities residing in char households.
孟加拉国是受气候变化影响而面临自然灾害风险的国家之一。特别是，该国河岛（char）居民面临着持续的气候事件，这些事件增加了他们的脆弱性。本研究旨在评估孟加拉国河岛地区的社会脆弱性、影响和适应气候变化的策略。
本研究采用混合方法，结合定性和定量程序，对孟加拉国盖班达县 180 户河岛家庭的数据进行了分析。根据河岛社区适应能力、敏感性和对气候压力源的暴露程度，评估了河岛社区的社会脆弱性。
研究结果表明，河岛居民对气候变化的脆弱性、影响和适应能力因与大陆的距离而异。社会脆弱性因素，如地理位置、脆弱和低质量的住房条件、文盲和流离失所、气候敏感职业和低收入水平等，导致这些特定地区的脆弱性水平较高。本研究还表明，气候变化及其相关灾害给几乎所有家庭的生活和生计带来了严重影响。在这种情况下，河岛居民采用了几种适应策略来提高他们的生活方式，以适应不断变化的气候带来的灾害。然而，低教育设施、缺乏有关气候变化的有用信息、基础设施差以及资金短缺仍然是适应可持续性的最大障碍。
研究结果强调了评估当地地区对气候变化的敏感性的重要性，并强调需要制定有针对性的地方举措和政策，以减少脆弱性，增强河岛居民社区的适应能力。
