The most vulnerable group of climate change is aged people and children, according to a report of global climate risk index. Climate change increases the risk of illness through increasing high temperature, more frequent heavy rains, and storms. Experts say, health impacts may include gastrointestinal illness like diarrhea, effects on the nervous and respiratory systems, or liver and kidney damage.
Bangladesh ranked seventh in German Watch - Global Climate Risk index 2020. It states by 2050 out of seven a single person will be displaced in the country as a direct impact of climate change. Besides, Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2009 mentioned that 17 percent of land of Bangladesh with 20-25 million people will be at risk of displacement.
Disaster Management Advisor of COAST Trust Bangladesh Mohammad Rafiqul Alam said, “The entire world is now concerned about the impact of climate change. Bangladesh is also in grave danger and it is predicted that one-third of the country's coastal areas may go down to the water.”
But panic should not be created in this regard. Our universities continue to do basic research on the impacts of climate change. Analyzing research papers and collaborating with concerned experts is the only way, he added. He pointed out “Whenever any disaster takes place the most vulnerable group are women, children, and aged people. If you visit coastal areas it will be easy to comprehend how aged peoples are suffering from numerous skin diseases and physical complexities.”
Ruhul Amin Talukder of Bhola Climate Council told to The Bangladesh Post that, “When a disaster occurs children remain at risk of being lost. Falling prey of sexual abuse, child labor, trafficking, and unsafe migration are other risk factors during calamities.” He also said, during adversities to save children and aged people community engagement must be enhanced. Pre-planning and annual mass awareness campaigns in disaster-prone areas will be effective.
At present, the soil erosion has increased manifold due to various activities of the people, especially deforestation, destruction of grasslands, excessive livestock grazing, land leveling, excess utilization of cultivation machinery. But the main reason for all of this is climate change.
Due to climate change, the level of risk of sea-level rise is increasing day by day. The rate of sea-level rise is about four times higher. A recent new study has revealed that 70 crore people are at risk of flooding by 2050 in South Asia. Science journal Nature Communications also illustrated such fears. It said that if the greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, then by 2050, forty million people in Bangladesh will be at risk of floods every year.
