By Mohammed Moniruzzaman Khan, Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies (IDMVS), University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

The South Asian region is grappling with extreme heat, which is an ongoing and escalating crisis. Bangladesh, being highly susceptible to climate change, faces this threat immensely, especially the coastal communities in the south of the country, which have been at the forefront of this crisis. These coastal regions are experiencing significant heat stress due to a confluence of a number of factors, including rapid population growth, industrial growth (to some extent), and deforestation. This immense heat poses severe health, economic, and environmental challenges, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations living there, such as women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. But, unlike cyclones and floods, the rise of extreme heat events in the coastal districts often receives less attention, despite their profound impact on daily life and economic productivity. Local residents frequently exemplify rising temperatures and consequent effects on their lives as evidence of climate change.

Understanding Social Impacts and Vulnerabilities of Extreme Heat

The social impacts of extreme heat events along the coastal belts are far-reaching, gradually impacting community well-being. Heat-related illness, along with agricultural impacts, has become increasingly common among the population over the last few decades. As a result, their understanding of climate change often revolves around the irregular pattern of extreme heat events that they encounter nowadays. However, these impacts are not felt equally across the population groups. The more vulnerable & marginalised communities are often disproportionately affected by these events. They lack the resources and capacity to withstand the heat physically, mentally or economically. Moreover, heat events regularly overwhelm the local healthcare facilities, and the extreme demand for emergency services often goes unmet, putting the more vulnerable ones into a rather dire situation.

Rethinking Risk with Early Warning Systems (EWS)

Enhanced understanding & awareness, along with proactive measures against extreme heat, will go a long way, reducing the impacts on the coastal communities. EWS, traditionally developed and applied for cyclones, and to some extent floods, must be adapted for heatwave events in an attempt to mitigate health & economic impacts. Pertinent local government institutions, along with I/NGOs, must collaborate to create awareness of extreme heat events while also aiming to develop a state-of-the-art heat wave early warning system.

Building Resilience through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and Community Action

Working on/with nature through fostering household-level and/or large-scale afforestation programmes, creating awareness against deforestation can be the key to reducing the extent of extreme events. Such community-led adaptation practices will also increase community ownership and strengthen social cohesion while saving the community from falling apart due to the unbearable physical & economic toll of the heat events. At the same time, local organisations must come forward with plans & programmes to ensure the provision of drinking water amid the crisis. Heat-resilient materials & eco-friendly designs in constructing houses along the coastal belts can be a critical step forward as well.

Ultimately, addressing extreme heat in coastal Bangladesh and across South Asia demands collaborative efforts. This includes fostering multi-stakeholder climate investment, advocating for increased donor commitments for locally led initiatives and long-term resilience programmes, and strengthening regional cooperation through shared learning and knowledge exchange. By integrating local knowledge with scientific innovation and empowering vulnerable communities, the South Asia region can build long-term resilience against the “new normal” of extreme heat.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of AIDMI.