Bangladeshis lead in climate adaptation

The Daily Star (Bangladesh): A BBC survey across seven Asian countries finds 84 percent of Bangladeshi respondents are feeling the impact of climate change on their household income. Almost one-third of the respondents are experiencing extreme weather events, changing livelihoods, and migrating to cities for work and struggling to cope.

However, people here are better at adapting to climate change than those in the other countries surveyed. They are already making changes to their livelihoods, including migrating for work or growing different crops, the survey says.

“Bangladeshis are feeling the effects of complex changes in their environment. However, we have found that communities are already doing a lot to cope with the situation and are keen to do more,” said Charlotte Imbert, country director in Bangladesh for BBC Media Action, at the launch of the study report in Dhaka yesterday.

As part of Climate Asia, a BBC Media Action initiative, 33,500 people were surveyed in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, China, Indonesia and Vietnam to know people’s daily experience on climate change. This is the largest climate survey in Asia, claims Media Action (formerly BBC World Service Trust), BBC’s charity for international development...