Cyclone fatalities reduced by a hundredfold since 1971: Study

Bangladesh has reduced its cyclone-related fatalities by a hundredfold since the country's independence in 1971, according to a study by the World Bank.

Despite vulnerability to climatic risks, Bangladesh has emerged as a global leader in climate change adaptation and is known for proactively investing in resilience, noted the study report titled "Bangladesh: Enhancing Coastal Resilience in a Changing Climate" published in Dhaka on Monday.

The report shows how long-term investments in disaster risk reduction save lives, reduce economic losses, and protect development gains. It analyses the drivers of risks, how the government has reduced these risks, and offers new perspectives and innovative solutions.

"This was possible due to a range of initiatives backed up by a strategic policy framework, from grassroot-level adaptation and community-based early warning systems to structural investments in infrastructure complemented by nature-based solutions and fostering innovation," it noted.

"However, a rapidly growing population, environmental degradation, and increasing climate risks are putting pressure on the existing natural and infrastructure systems in the coastal zone which is home to about 40 million people. Bangladesh needs to take further immediate actions to improve resilience," said the report.

"Coastal resilience is not a static goal to be met, but rather a continuous process of adapting to changing conditions and finding synergies between development objectives," said Dandan Chen, World Bank acting country director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.

"For the last fifty years, the World Bank has supported Bangladesh to build climate resilience and improve disaster risk management. Today, the country shares valuable experience in improving disaster preparedness and climate resilience and is an inspiration for other climate-vulnerable nations," she added.

The report finds that further investments in coastal resilience would produce an array of economic, social, and environmental benefits for Bangladesh.

It lays out seven key recommendations to strengthen the resilience of the coastal region, including strengthening operation and maintenance of infrastructure, recognising local knowledge, and utilising state-of-art modelling tools.

"Given the significant investment needs, we can learn from past interventions and find innovative solutions. This report provides a first-of-its-kind analysis of all large investment projects since the 1960s", said Swarna Kazi, World Bank senior disaster risk management specialist and co-author of the report.

"A key lesson learned is that there is huge potential in Bangladesh for nature-based solutions or hybrid solutions with a mix of green-grey infrastructure," added Ignacio Urrutia, World Bank senior disaster risk management specialist and co-author of the report.
Bangladeshi water resource specialist Ainun Nishat shed light on increasing salinity in the coastal belt and called for effective measures.