Causes of Environmental Degradation in Coastal Bangladesh: A Report

This report investigates environmental degradation in coastal Bangladesh, a region facing significant ecological challenges. It begins with an overview of the research, defining environmental degradation and highlighting its causes, including human activities and natural phenomena. The report examines the changing ecosystem of the coastal area, focusing on the impacts of deforestation, pollution, and climate change. It also discusses the background of research, emphasizing the importance of the coastal area and the environmental issues it faces, such as air pollution, land degradation, and water shortages. The research aims to identify solutions for sustainable ecosystem management, considering approaches like Ecosystem Services (ES) and Ecosystem-based Approaches (EBA). The report's objectives include identifying trends, developing approaches, ascertaining challenges, and recommending solutions. The literature review synthesizes existing research, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and analyzing various strategies, including coastal embankment projects and mangrove protection committees. The report aims to identify the most appropriate strategies, analyze potential challenges, and recommend interventions to improve the current situation of ecological imbalance in coastal Bangladesh.

CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK AND
METHODOLOGY
FRAMEWORK

ABSTRACT
Environmental degradation is process by which natural environment is to be comprised in
such a manner that minimizing biological diversity and also health of environment. This report
has been stated that environmental degradation can lead to scarcity of resources like farmable
and water. The environmental degradation can destroy different environmental aspects. The
environmental degradation can be caused through activities of the human beings and natural
phenomenon. Under this, literature review has been conducted on the basis of research
objectives. For collecting the information from secondary sources, there has been books,
magazined, articles has been used. The past and current trends in changing ecosystem at coastal
area in Bangladesh has been examined in an effective manner. The causes of environmental
degradation and solution has been evaluated for gaining the positive outcomes.

Table of Contents
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK....................................................................................................1
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

Title: To identify the causes of environmental degradation in coastal part of Bangladesh
and develop appropriate solutions.
INTRODUCTION
Overview of Research
Environmental degradation is deterioration of environment by depletion of the resources
like soil, water and air. It is a kind of any change to environment perceived to undesirable. The
environmental degradation has become common concern for the humankind over past few
decades. Distinctive nature of the present environmental issues is that caused through the
anthropogenic than the natural phenomenon. The environmental degradation is developed
through consolidation of expanding human populace and expanding the monetary development
consistently (Abdullah and et. al., 2017). In context to this, environmental degradation is largest
threats as this lessening limit to earth in order to meet the environmental and social destinations
as well as requirements. The main causes behind environmental degradation are land
disturbance, overpopulation, landfills, Technocentrism and Chemical Effluents. Environmental
degradation takes the diverse forms that ranging from ecosystem destruction to the degraded
fresh waters supplies. On the other hand, environmental degradation is procedure by which
natural environment is to be comprised in such a manner, minimizing the biological diversity and
general health of environment. The environmental degradation is result of dynamic inters that
play of technological, socio- economic and institutional activities. This can be attributes to
different human activities and natural process with having insignificant share. At point, when the
environment is wrecked or the common assets are exhausted, then environment is considered to
be harmed and also corrupted. In this, environmental problems can be seen through the long term
ecological impacts that can demolish the whole environment. It is unique unit and also
incorporates all living and non- living components which live inside. The creatures and plants
are the evident part of an environment but also consists things on which they are based on for an
instance lakes, soils and streams (Afroz, Cramb and Grünbühel, 2017).
Background of Research
Environmental degradation is kind of the activities which alters environment system and
disturbance the caused to water, social, ecosystem and air. Due to the environmental degradation,
issues related to illness and the premature deaths are occur in large numbers. It is a process by
which natural environment is to be compromised in some way, minimizing biological diversity

and also general health of environment. Under this, impact of deforestation will main impact of
world. Constant cutting down of the trees is developing issue of supply the oxygen as absorption
of CO2 (Belton, 2016). With deforestation continuation, people will get the less oxygen that can
arise the detrimental issue for the human health. In context to this, alternate problem that can
result from this is waste and overconsumption of paper products which come from trees. Main
component of the environmental degradation is depletion of Fresh water resource on Earth. The
coastal area is interface among sea and land and also coastline is boundary that differentiate
among two types of land. These are populated around world and also coastal dynamics have the
impact on life of coastal people. Bangladesh is densely populated and riverine country that
located in the South Asia with coastline of 580 km on northern littoral of Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh coastline is about the 710km long and continental self extend over area of around
24800 sq. na. Miles of which about 37000m km sq. within 50m depth zone (Deb and Ferreira,
2017). On the other hand, Bangladesh faces environmental issues consisting air pollution,
contamination, land degradation, loss of biodiversity and water shortage. Bangladesh country
pays high cost from the environment pollution and degradation in urban areas. The coastal zone
of Bangladesh is hydrologically and geomorphology dominated through Bay of Bengal and
Ganges Brahmaputra Meghna. The coastal residents in Bangladesh country are losing their
farmland and homes at astonishing rate because riverbank erosion. It is tidal process that moves
and loosens coastal land as well as vegetarian from one plan to other. On the other hand, Coastal
areas are rich bio- diversified and Western part is to be covered through largest mangrove forest.
Sundarbans support very rich and also the diverse fish fauna of 120 species over 270 species of
the birds that gives livelihood around 30000 people in specific season of year working in the
various trades. The coastal area of Bangladesh is more dynamic, this has faced the deposition
and erosion in many hectares of land. In relation to this, coastal regions are suffering enhancing
severity and frequency of the tropical storms that cause loss of the human life, property , damage
to the house and some other livelihoods. The riverbank erosion is main cause of the climate
displacement inland. Now up to 50% are living the urban slums of Bangladesh because there
were force to be run from their rural homes due to riverbank erosion (Hasnat, Kabir and Hossain,
2019).
Research Problem:

With the advent and rise in the process of industrialization, the environment and
ecological systems have suffered heavily. The resources were being exploited but the
consequences of the actions were not given much consideration and this attitude led to
Research Aim:
To identify the correct solutions and approaches that can be developed in order to ensure
sustainable ecosystem management in the Coastal area of Bangladesh. The imbalance caused in
the ecological system has even impacted the climate change in the Bangladesh. There are many
factors that are affecting the changes in the climate and therefore the serious impacts that are
resulting due to this ecological imbalance needs to be restored or managed.
Authors, Islam and Shamsuddoha (2018), state that development of Sustainable
Development Goals are the key features in assisting the development of conservation strategy
and increase the development of coastal and marine environment. Additionally Barua, Rahman
and Molla (2017), have stated that mangrove forests are the major contributors of the ecological
system of Bangladesh. The major causes behind degradation of such environmental treasures are
practices of aquaculture, agriculture etc. where the shrimps and other coastal animals are being
heavily exported, and their cost being too high and preferred in other countries. This seamless
exploitation of the natural resources are bound to impact the ecological balance and the rich
environment that prevails in Bangladesh.
The environmental strategies that have been formulated in order to control the different
ecological systems are essential and act as contributing factors in ensuring that effective
measures can be adopted in order to restore the balance. Mcvittie and et al. (2018), suggest that
Ecosystem Services (ES) when integrated together with Ecosystem based Approaches (EBA) can
help in critically acclaiming and implementing the measures that can assist in improving and
fulfilling the objectives of sustainability. There are so many positive impact on Ecosystem
Services (ES) resulted from EBA measures such as Climate Change Adaption, Disaster Risk
Reduction etc. and these can be used in order to analyse and develop the measures that can be
adopted in order to improve the existing scenario. EbA involves the utilization of bio-diversity
and ecosystem services (ES) to support people to adapt with the adverse effect of climate change
induced risks. It has also been suggested by Hasnat, Kabir and Hossain (2019), that Bangladesh
is involved too much in the aqua cultural activities that are resulting in regularly depleting
natural life in that area and the increasing GDP due to the earning made from trading with the

environment are also increasing the environmental degradation problem. The Ecosystem-based
approaches and local knowledge was mentioned in the recent IPCC (2018) report as two
adaptation alternatives to reduce the climate change induced risk; however, the approaches were
not mentioned directly in the integration (IPCC SR15, 2018). Nature based approaches are also
developed and used in similar contexts so that the impact of natural disasters such as storms,
waves, floods, erosion etc. can be minimised and controlled in the Bangladesh region. The nature
based solutions help in deriving the appropriate solutions and implementing them so that the
intended purpose of reduction in environmental degradation can be achieved.
Therefore, in this report, different solution that can assist in developing the appropriate
practices that can be adopted in order to improve the current problem will be identified and
discussed. The variety of strategies that have been suggested will be analysed and already
ongoing projects that have the people and community of Bangladesh are undertaking will be
highlighted in the report. There are many strategies like Coastal Embankment Projects,
mangrove protection committees etc. that are trying to act a as a barrier towards further
exploitation of the natural ecosystem that Bangladesh was granted and are doing a significant
work in order to improve the already depleted ecological system of Bangladesh (Jabed, Paul and
Nath, 2018). However, the effect of such projects is not giving quick results and the loopholes
are continuously being developed for every law or strategy that is being implemented toward
environment protection. Therefore, it is now imperative to conduct a proper research that will
help in identifying and comparing all the strategies that can be adopted for the preservation of the
environment and ensuring that no further depletion takes place. The analysis of all the possible
strategies would lead in identification of one most appropriate strategies and decision can be then
made accordingly. The one appropriate strategy that will be identified after this through analysis
of all the possible strategies would then be evaluated in terms of what are the probable
challenges or problems that can arise in the implementation of these strategies and then the
solution that can be used to bridge up the possible problems would be then detailed in the report
accordingly (Islam, Bhuiyan, Mohinuzzaman, Ali and Moon, 2017).
Overall, the intended research would help in analysis of the current situation of the
ecological system of Bangladesh and then appropriate solutions will be tried to be formulated so
that conclusions can be made accordingly and the research can contribute in ascertaining what

are the changes and interventions that can be adopted in order to improve the current problem of
ecological imbalance.
Research Objectives:
 To identify the past and current trends in the changing ecosystem of coastal area of
Bangladesh.
 To develop appropriate approaches and measures that will assist in solving the problem
of environmental degradation.
 To ascertain the challenges that will arise in the implementation of the selected approach
for improving environmental degradation.
 To recommend appropriate solutions and interventions for successful implementation of
the selected approach.
Research Question:
Which is the most plausible approach or measure that can be adopted in order to address the
issue of increasing environmental degradation in coastal area of Bangladesh?

LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is mainly conducted to identify clear purpose of the review. This is
critical look at existing investigation that is related to work. Main purpose of literature review is
to gain effective understanding about specific topic and also present knowledge in the written
report form. Conducting the literature review properly aids in develop knowledge of area.
Literature review has organisational pattern and also combine the synthesis and summary. In
this, an investigator should go back certain findings that may be supported through some other
research findings. In order to conducting literature review part, secondary source of data
collection will be used through researcher such as books, internet sources and articles. It helps in
provide the proper explanation regarding arisen research questions related to the causes of
environmental degradation in coastal part of Bangladesh and develop appropriate solutions
(Hassan and Nazem, 2016).
Identify the past and current trends in the changing ecosystem of coastal area of Bangladesh
According to opinion of Rinkesh (2019) Ecosystem is community of the living organism
in conjunction with the long living components of environment. Under this, biotic and abiotic
components are connected together by the energy flows and nutrient cycles. The ecosystems are
foundations of Biosphere and they identify health of whole earth system. Coastal Bangladesh has
been experienced the economic and social progress. It rising average income, occurred health
outcomes and level of literacy through developing the local ecosystem services like fisheries and
agriculture. The coastal area of Bangladesh includes 19 district and it is linked with rivers by
complex linkages that reach coast finally. In context to this, coastal ecosystem Bangladesh
highly structurally and functional diverse ecology. In result, quality of life of large section of
coastal community decline in economic. Marine and coastal ecosystem gives critical ecosystem
service to large number of people which are populated in Bangladesh (Hossain and et. al., 2016).
Past trends in changing ecosystem of coastal area of Bangladesh
The past trends indicate that Water-related global warming impacts are likely to be the
most important for Bangladesh–due entirely to coastal and coastal floods, but also increased
potential for summer (dry season) rainfall in some regions. The consequences of rising flooding
as a result of climate change would be Bangladesh's biggest problem. It is anticipated that both
coastal (sea and river water) floods and inland (river / rain water) flooding would intensify.
Bangladesh flooding is a permanent fixture and has many negative effects, like loss of life by

starvation, increased disease incidence, and property destruction. That's why there's a lot of
Bangladesh on a floodplain (Hossain and et. al., 2016).
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Flood is one of the major challenge for Bangladesh since past years. The 1998 flood, one
of the worst in recent memory. The main cause was recognized as snowmelt as well as heavy
rainfall in India and Nepal. Due to heavy rain fall and storms sea level also increased as per the
past researches More than 30 million Bangladeshis were banished, with 20 million concentrated
vagrants. Coastal areas have been on high alert during rainy seasons (Islam and Yasmin, 2017).
In addition, the effect of upstream irrigation diversion of dry seasonal flows and salinity
values in the Sundarbans was comparable towards (if not higher than) the impact that could be
expected as a result of global warming several decades later. Consequently, responding to
climate change may not only be local, but may entail cross-border institutional agreements such
as the Mekong Water Distribution Treaty to address the fundamental water drainage problems.
Last but not least, climate change risks should not detract from actively addressing other critical
challenges, including shrimp farming, illegal forest felling, biodiversity smuggling, and barge
traffic oil emissions, which could already pose a critical threat to fragile ecosystems including
the Sundarbans even before major climate change impacts occur (Islam and Shamsuddoha,
2018).
Current trends in changing ecosystem of coastal area of Bangladesh
Under this, climate change brings the more coastal hazards. This country mainly suffer
the adverse affect from climate change. Bangladesh emits less than 0.1% of emission of global
greenhouse gas. This is one of main coastal risk in this country because these are related with
some other natural hazards in complex way. 1 m rise in the sea level would submerge full 18%
of total land are in Bangladesh (Islam and et. al., 2017). In the current trend, ICZM (Integrated
Coastal Zone Management) delivering the sustainable development in coastal areas. This is
continuous, iterative and dynamic process that designed to promote the sustainable management
related to coastal areas that covers planning, decision making and also monitoring an execution.
In this present time, ICZM helps to mitigate impact of disasters and also give better opportunities
for utilization of sustainable resources. In Bangladesh country, ICZM is not for environmental
gain but also give survival strategy for large number of people which living in mercy of the
nature. The current trends indicators of human well being and ecosystem to widespread the non-
stationary dynamic which governed through show changing the vulnerable with enhanced
likelihood systemic threshold changes. In context to this, South west coastal region of the
Bangladesh consists Sathira, Bagerhat and Khulna. This region is main part of Gangas and also
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situated in bordering Bay of Bengal and bounded among 21°39´0´´N to 23°05´00´´N and 88°54
´00´´E to 90°00´00´´E, covering 1,206,036 ha area. In this, Sundarbans is largest mangrove
forest and main livelihood sources for around 3 million of people (Islam and et. al., 2018).
Sundarbans experiences the tropical monsoon climate. Under this, there is a change in the
ecosystem at coastal areas of Bangladesh. Mean annual rainfall of Southwest Bangladesh is 3526
± 591 mm. Water salinity ranges from the 0 to 30ppt. It mainly vulnerable to change in climate
because of minimum elevation (1 to 2m sea level), high population density and flat topography.
On the basis of Md. Ali Akber (2019), Change in ecosystem values for use of land from
1980 to year 2016 was develop negative impact. Decline in ecosystem from year 1980 to 2016
has been observed in regards to agriculture that result in rapid reduction in the agriculture land.
This given graph shows about changes in size of five land. There has been reduction in
agriculture area and enhanced aquaculture are during past 36 years. About 36% area is covered
through forest. The area of forest covered through Sundarbans that has reserve forest since year
1875 and prohibits encroachment. In this, estimated forest land use the category was 438,594 in
1980 which reduced to 433,765 throughout 2016. Reduction of the 4,829 land of forest implies to
minimum than 1% reduce in area over past 36 years. In year 2000, forest category was to be
estimated reduction through 7,277 that is about 5% reduction as compare to initial year 1980.
settlements of land use was to be estimated to reduce from 88,431 to 126,002 ha from year 1980
4
Illustration 1: Total estimated area (ha) of each land-use category
in southwest coastal Bangladesh from 1980 to 2016