Meeting the challenges of global warming at home

ChontechMD. Asadullah Khan

GLOBAL warming is now a grim reality. There is hot air aplenty mostly because of global warming, caused by the galloping increase in carbon emissions by uncaring nations that has severely disrupted weather patterns across the world. As the next UN conference on the Climate scheduled to take place in Copenhagen in December gets under way, the world appears a no better place than it was in 1992, during the Rio meet.

Global warming will also add significantly to Earth's worrisome water problems. Already around 1.4 billion people live in water stressed areas, a term defined as having less than 1000 cubic metres (35000 cubic feet) of water per person per year. The world's supply of fresh water, already threatened by increasing levels of pollution is growing so scarce in some areas accentuated by climatic change in consequence of global warming that if current trends continue, two-thirds of humanity will suffer severe water stress within 30 years, says a UN report.

The situation will not only imperil human health and development on a vast scale, but also the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems on which much of Earth's life depends. The growing scarcity of water is also hampering agricultural production at a time when demand for food is rising with steady population growth.

According to a recent study report revealed by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) by 2050 as many as 150 million 'environmental refugees' may have fled coastlines vulnerable to rising sea levels, storms or floods, while a sixth of Bangladesh could be permanently lost to sea level rise and land subsidence.

Racked by land destruction, salinity intrusion, water logging, recurrent floods, storm surges and changes in the course of the rivers, people in the south western part of Bangladesh are now facing a new set of challenges imposed by global climate change.

The southwestern part of Bangladesh bears the brunt of the ravages of climate change in almost unimaginable proportions. With changes in rainfall pattern, meaning rainfall becoming less than normal in most places, the land has become parched. Most ponds are now bone-dry.

The water in the ponds of Satkhira, Bagerhat, Khulna and greater Barisal is just knee-deep and turned salinated, while tube wells fail to yield as the water table is going down every year. The saline water has affected cultivation of vegetables, crops, and sweet water fish.

Drinking water in and around Satkhira district is now on sale in large containers moved by rickshaw van. Almost two months after the cyclone Aila accompanied by tidal surge hit the coastal belts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat and greater Barisal, people still have no access to salt-free drinking water. The ponds need to be drained of saline water so that rainwater could be used for drinking purpose.

The prospect of Aman cultivation in this region seems bleak because of saline deposit on the land. Thanks to BRRI, farmers in this region are now going for cultivation of salt-tolerant BR 40 and 41. But the seeds, as reports are pouring in are in short supply. These are the challenges that this government must confront in the changed scenario and make lives of the affected people easier.

However, despite all the odds that have made life in the coastal region miserable, there is still hope because of growing environmental awareness. Now efforts are underway to right some of the wrongs in most parts of the world. Unless immediate adaptation strategy is taken up, the problems of agriculture would be critical in the days to come as deteriorating soil conditions, and changing climate put even more pressure on a badly-strained food supply system.

If the nations of the world take immediate action, the pace of destruction of the global environment, no doubt, can be slowed substantially. Sooner or later, the Earth's human inhabitants so used to adapting the environment to suit their needs will be forced to adapt themselves to the new demands.

The question that invariably comes -- how would societies respond, for example, if the oceans were to rise 3 to 4 ft over the next century, as some scientists have predicted? One option would be to construct levees and dikes. The Netherlands, after all, has flourished more than 12 ft below sea level for hundreds of years. Its newest bulwark is a 5.6 mile dam made up of 131 ft steel blocks that remain open during normal conditions to preserve the tidal flow that feeds the rich local sea life, but can be closed down when rough weather threatens.

Poorer countries like Bangladesh have fewer options. It cannot simply evacuate the chars in the Ganges delta or coastline populations. Launching of such massive evacuation plan or resettlement in a land-scarce country that involves forbiddingly high cost and expertise is a daunting task.

As Bangladesh suffers ravages with alarming frequency in consequence of global warming, it has to have its own disaster preparedness and adaptation plan. The first prerogative, as the Prime Minister of the country has asserted time and again since assuming power, is to go for massive tree-planting in the whole country, especially in the coastal zones. Because trees temper climate and capture and store water.

Trees store 40% of terrestrial carbon and can slow the build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Deforestation in mountains can worsen floods in grasslands or agricultural lands below, as was the case in China, Madagascar and more recently in Chittagong of Bangladesh.

Humans here, have hurt coastal and marine ecosystems directly by draining wetlands, cutting mangroves, trawling oceans for fish and destroying reefs and lagoons. Besides, we also damage these ecosystems indirectly as rivers transport to the coasts the effluents of agriculture, industry, urban areas and by logging and building dams. This interference with ecosystems brings in its wake serious catastrophes.

The sufferings of coastal people after the cyclone Sidr and Aila amply demonstrate what misfortune might be in store for us if we fail to adapt ourselves to changed climatic conditions. The affluent nations who are actually polluters must not only pledge but put in funds at the disposal of the affected country like Bangladesh to tackle the aftermath of such disasters on a long term basis.

Md. Asadullah Khan is a former teacher of physics and Controller of Examinations, BUET.e-mail : aukhanbd@gmail.com