On November 9, 2011, clear skies allowed the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite an unobstructed view of Bangladesh. This natural-color image shows all of that country, as well as parts of India, Burma (Myanmar), and the Bay of Bengal. Included in the scene are the Sundarbans of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta.
The Geological Survey of Bangladesh explains that most of the sediments covering the country are geologically young—deposted in the last 10,000 years. Deltaic silt and sand and mangrove forests dominate the southwestern part of the country. Sand and gravel cover the northwestern parts. Northeastern Bangladesh is covered by a combination of clay, peat, gravel, and sand....
Their plight is not going to end soon. As a matter of fact they will not be able to reclaim land for generations if at all. The erosion process will not reverse even if the area suddenly becomes drought. The land is washing away into the sea.
The people displaced and living in severe conditions must be considered Climate Crisis Refugees clinging to life. If people are living in boats they are refugees. India has a large population already, but, it may be the one country closest to identity of these people. These circumstances will not change. The people have to move away from the water and onto higher elevations. This is permanently flooding lands.
The conditions they are living in are completely unhealthy. They are used to thinking about the Ganges as a holy place. It is not alien for them to believe they are with a holy state. The Ganges River is very long and flows through higher elevations. The people need to adjust to their reality. The spiritual leaders of India are compassionate and able to address people in a meaningful way.
Bangladesh, (click here) with its low elevation and severe tropical storms, is among the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, though it has contributed little to the emissions that are driving it. Credit Kadir van Lohuizen for The New York Times
As a side note, this is the habitat of the Bengal Tiger. It is already endangered. There has been increases in the population of the tigers simply because poaching has been contained.These people are best helped by settling within cities where they can learn a trade and make a living for their families. In some ways, this plight has been a gift from god masked by tragic loss of their land. They can maintain their culture and add flavor to their chosen new residential areas.
Their children can have better outcomes by attending schools that will provide better opportunity. Their current circumstances are victimizing their children with no real path for their future.
The global community can come together around the definition of what exactly a Climate Crisis Refugee is and how best to address it.
