Addressing the impacts of climate induced migration on urban system: a study of Bangladesh

Abstract

Human understanding of potential climate change impacts has improved enormously. Environmental impacts and extreme climate events have introduced a new social community named “climate migrants or displaced communities”. Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Cyclone Sidr and Aila in Bangladesh forced hundreds of thousands of people to migrate from the exposed coastal regions. Most of such migration took place towards urban areas which are yet to address climate change in local urban systems. Climate migration leads to chaotic and overwhelming levels of urbanization with attendant poor living standard and unsustainable urban growth. Bangladesh is among the countries most severely affected by climate change and climate induced migration. Using a case study approach drawing on empirical research on climate migrants in Bangladesh, this study examines the drivers of migration and the subsequent effects on the urban systems in Bangladesh.