Adaptation or conflict? Responses to climate change in water management in Bangladesh |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Resource Management and Geography, The University of Melbourne, 221 Bouverie St, Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia;2. Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne, Architecture and Planning Building (Building 133), Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;1. Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, UK;2. University of Agder, Norway;3. Institute for Global Health, University College London, UK;4. Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET), Bangladesh;5. School of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Iowa, USA;1. Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, RM, Italy;2. Department of BioScience and Territory, University of Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, IS, Italy;1. University of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Conservation, Amherst, MA 01003, United States;2. University of East Anglia, International Development, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom;3. Addis Ababa University, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 31375, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;1. Department of Geography, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;2. School of Earth and Environment and School of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Western Australia, 35 Sterling Highway, Crawley 6009 WA, Australia;3. Aaranyak, 13 Tayab Ali Byelane, Bishnu Rabha Path, Beltola Tinali-Bhetapara Link Road, PO: Beltola, Guwahati 781 028, Assam, India;4. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Khumaltar, Lalitpur, G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal;5. Center for International Climate and Environmental Research (CICERO), Gaustadalléen 21, 0349 Olso, Norway |
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| Abstract: | The potential of climate change to impact local conflict and cooperation over natural resources has received relatively little attention. Bangladesh floodplains are highly vulnerable to environmental stresses that are worsening with climate change, and community organisations have to respond to water insecurity − seasonally too little or too much. Two case studies based on action research in contrasting water and climate stressed floodplain environments in Bangladesh investigate local conflicts over water management that worsened when water regimes changed. By overcoming conflicts and improving adaptation for all local actors the cases reveal the importance of local knowledge, innovations in institutions, external facilitation, and incentives provided by disadvantaged groups who contribute towards costs in return for a share in decision making power and better adapted water management. The cases show how community organisations diversified their responsibilities and took up the challenge of water management to address local priorities and overcome conflicts. Without a more flexible and enabling approach, public investments in adaptation are likely to focus on strengthening existing water management infrastructure without understanding local social interactions and complexity. This may strengthen elite dominance and local conflicts if there is no comparable investment in developing robust and fair local institutions. |
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| Keywords: | Adaptive learning Bangladesh Climate change Conflict Participation Water |
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