Climate change : impacts on the socio-economic conditions of fishing people in the coastal region of Bangladesh

Abstract

Climate change has been one of the most critical concerns in recent decades globally. Climate change is predicted to have a range of direct and indirect impacts on marine and freshwater capture fisheries, with implications for fisheries-dependent economies and coastal fishing communities. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world. Being a coastal country where most of its people's living is heavily dependent on fishing, the socio-economic rights of the coastal fishing people are being conspicuously affected by climate change. The coastal environments particularly at risk include low-lying coastal plains, sandy beaches, coastal wetlands and coral reefs. Socio-economic conditions of fish farmers, especially in the coastal region in Bangladesh, have been severely affected because of climate change. The impacts of climate change are increasing, including natural disasters""such as rise in sea level""climate disasters and ecological imbalances that are the primary culprits in the demolition, deterioration or diminishment of the socio-economic rights of the coastal fishing people in Bangladesh. This research analyses the impacts of climate change on coastal fishing people as well as the significant human rights of coastal fishing people that are affected by climate change. The research examines the causes, impacts on, and the relation between climate change and the socio-economic and environmental rights of the coastal fishing people. This study investigates the existing international laws, declarations, conventions and agreements that are relevant for the mitigation of the impacts of climate change on coastal fishing people. In order to evaluate the current regime, the research also investigates the legal and institutional arrangements for the improvement of the socio-economic and environmental conditions of the coastal people of three other coastal states of the Bay of Bengal (BoB) including India, Sri Lanka and Maldives. This research critically analyses the existing legal frameworks in relation to climate change and climate-induced impacts on the coastal fishing people of Bangladesh. In light of this, this thesis identifies several social and legal drawbacks that are affecting socio-economic conditions of the coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh. Finally, this research proposes recommendations for improving the socio-economic conditions of the coastal fishing people of Bangladesh that could be helpful for policy makers to address the issue more effectively.

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English