Assessing household resilience to climate extremes using indicator-based index in hazard-prone areas; evidence from Bangladesh

Abstract

The resilience of riparian and char land communities in Bangladesh is greatly challenged by climate change extremes with its accompanying hazards, resulting an adverse effect on their livelihoods and general well-being. This study investigated the resilience capacity of riparian and char land communities, explicitly focusing on the impacts of increasing climatic extremes like floods, riverbank erosion, and variability of precipitation. The aim was to develop an indicator-based Resilience Capacity Index (RCI) score to get a deeper understanding of the resilience ability of the people residing in Sundarganj (Gaibandha) and Chilmari (Kurigram) in Northern Bangladesh, which are known for being highly vulnerable to various climatic hazards due to riparian and char land settings. A total of 272 households (136 from Chilmari and 136 from Sundarganj) were surveyed using non-probability purposive sampling to collect socio-demographics, livelihoods, social networks, health, food, and water security data. The contributing elements (sensitivity and adaptive capacity) were combined to determine the Resilience Capacity Index (RCI). The RCI score of 0.245 observed for households on the riverine mainland (Sundarganj) exhibited a statistically significant increase compared to the score of 0.215 for households in the char (Chilmari). The lower scores have been indicating that communities are unable to effectively adapt to the impacts of climate extremes and its associated hazards in both areas. This can be attributed to a need for more available adaptation opportunities and unfavourable socio-economic conditions. Several factors, such as livelihood strategies, education, and access to essential services, including food, water, and health, drive the ability for resilience and improve the potential to assist the most vulnerable riparian households in Bangladesh. This would allow policymakers to ensure climate adaptation strategies that are appropriately focused on preventing the charland and riverine communities from the negative consequences of natural disasters.