Work

Impacts of Climate Change and Environmental Degradation on Indigenous People in Bangladesh: An Ethnographic Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Global environmental and climatic changes have become an ever-increasing trepidation worldwide due to the unprecedented changes in temperatures, precipitation, weather, and ecosystems at the international, regional, and local levels. This study attempts to find out the impacts and vulnerabilities of climate-induced hazards and environmental degradation on the lives of Indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), along with finding out the factors of environmental degradation in Indigenous communities. This study also explores the adaptation strategies of Indigenous people in adverse situations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For conducting this study, a critical ethnographic approach is adopted, together with participant observation, in-depth interviews (N = 55), and focus group discussions (FGDs) (N = 5, 48 participants), following purposive sampling over one year (October 2019 to October 2020). The findings of this study indicate that climate-induced hazards and environmental crisis brings unprecedented suffering to the lives and livelihoods of Indigenous people. Climate change and variability together with human causes contribute to creating an environmental crisis that threatens food security, creates water scarcity, and disrupts agricultural activities and household properties in Indigenous communities. The findings also indicate that Indigenous people are bound to change their traditional jhum cultivation and adjust their traditional housing structure apart from searching for alternative livelihoods due to climatic events and environmental crises. However, Indigenous people try to adapt to this adverse situation following their life-long experiences and local knowledge. This study helps policymakers as well as governments to understand the major drivers of environmental crisis and climatic events in Indigenous communities, together with finding out the solutions and recuperating the living conditions of the marginalized groups in Bangladesh and beyond.

Source: Wild

DOI: 10.3390/wild2020013

Author: Joydeb Garai

Institutions: Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Chittagong

Language: English

Topic: Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Good health and well-being, Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207