11 December 2009
25% of Bangladesh is flooded during the monsoon every year. With climate change it may rise to 40%.
Oxfam, one of our partners working in Bangladesh, were filming in Gabura in the south-west, when cyclone Aila hit the Bangladesh / India border on 25 May 2009 causing widespread destruction. They captured the power of the cyclone and the devastation that climate change is having on the country.
Video: Eye of the storm - Cyclone Aila as it happened.
The landscape of Bangladesh is extremely flat. This means that with rising sea levels due to global warming, it is having a catastrophic effect on the country. By 2050 it's estimated that 70 million people could be affected annually by floods. Climate change is inescapable for the people of Bangladesh, yet it is developed countries who are responsible for the majority of carbon emissions. The climate change conference in Copenhagen is an opportunity for the world to set tough targets on cutting global emissions.
DFID is helping to fund partner programmes like Oxfams in south-west Bangladesh by providing:
- emergency shelter materials
- soap, rehydration salts, sanitary cloths and household items
- access to clean water and sanitation facilities
- a cash for work programme, employing people to repair damaged embankments and roads
- providing fishing tools, boats and nets.
It is essential to rebuild communities affected by climate change and help them better prepare and adapt for the future.
Key facts and stats
DFID is helping Bangladesh live and adapt to the impact of climate change.
- By protecting people's lives and livelihoods against natural disasters like floods and cyclones.
- By supporting Bangladesh's development with a £125m aid programme in 2009/10.
- By working to achieve a fair, sustainable and ambitious global deal at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December 2009.