Transcript Rural-Urban Migration - Society for Bangladesh Climate Justice

Climate Change Impacts and Urban
Migration: Confronting the Looming Crisis
Mohammad Zaman, PhD
Social Policy/Development Specialist
&
Executive Director,
Society for Bangladesh Climate Justice
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
e-mail: [email protected]; website: bangladeshcalling.org
Rural-Urban Migration:
An Overview
• Studies on rural-urban migration typically focuses on
the slums and bastees, particularly in Dhaka City
• The massive demolition of “illegal structures” by the
Caretaker Govt. (2006-08) turned out a highly charged
political issue due to
• Displacement of the urban poor and their resettlement
• Vis-a-vis the rising tide of new in-migrants
• Today, 1 out of every 3 persons lives in Bastees in
Dhaka
• Migration to cities will increase manifolds in the future
due to climate-induced displacement in Bangladesh
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The Urban Poor:
Issues and Complexities
• Issues surrounding the Urban poor are extremely
complex – involve
• Social, economic, political rights
• Provision for security of tenure
• Better living environment with adequate services
• My paper is not on urbanization per se
• Paper addresses risks associated with sea level rise
• Population displacement
• Involuntary Migration - internal and cross-border
• Resettlement and livelihoods
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Climate Risks – the Scenario
• Bangladesh is the epic
centre of the climate
disaster
• Most densely
populated deltaic
country with low lying
coastal zone
• About 23%of the
country’s area is
vulnerable due to sea
level rise
• If the water level rises
by one meter, 30 million
people will be displaced
by 2030
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Wide ranging Impacts:
Displacement and Migration
 Risks and impacts are
multidimensional –



Millions will be displace and forced
to move
Agriculture, food production,
fishery, forestry affected
Adverse impacts on human health
and well-being
• Climate change will make
millions homeless and
refugees in their own
country
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Key Elements of Environment/Climate
Migrant or Refugees
•
•
•
•
•
Involuntary in nature
Sudden displacement
Lack of preparation
No resources
People displaced are
poor and need urgent
support and
assistance
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Is Migration a Climate “Solution”?
• Huge migration of rural, climate-induced migration
to cities –
• Create gigantic problems in all respects
• Many difficulties in developing sustainable urban living
• Cities in Bangladesh can’t cope with such migration
• Need a paradigm shift –
• In our approach to planned city
• Search for climate solution
• Adaptation strategy by GOB won’t be easy or
cheaper – awareness, capacity building, housing,
shelter, livelihoods must be addressed
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Future Challenges
• First, communities at risks must be mobilized “groundup” thru community-led actions
• Second, ground-up must be complemented by
integrated approach to floodplain and coastal
development
• Third, disaster mitigation policies must spend more
resources for studying climate “solutions” and
promoting indigenous ways to deal with calamities
• Finally, a strong, participatory, and responsive local
govt system must be ensured for sustainable
reconstruction and development in an era of climate
change
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