BANGLADESH is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change in the world, despite its minimal contribution to the global greenhouse gas emissions. Bangladesh historically has faced several climate disasters, where the 1988 flood and the 2007 cyclone Sidr are some notable events. According to the latest ‘Global Climate Risk Index 2021’ by Germanwatch, Bangladesh ranks as the seventh most affected country globally by extreme weather events from 2000 to 2019. According to a more recent report, ‘The World Risk Report 2024 – Focus: Multiple Crises’ by the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict of the Ruhr-University Bochum and an alliance of nine German development organisations, Bangladesh is classified with ‘very high risk’ with a score of 27.73; whereas any score above 12.89 is indicated as ‘risky’.
If looked at closely, every year such calamities are reoccurring, and newer heights of extreme weather can be noticed. The 174 million population of the country are facing the consequences of such disasters at regular intervals every year, although these consequences may not be visible with the naked eye, but it can be said the climate crisis drives several different and interconnected factors.
Looking into one scenario, the floods every year are one of the factors responsible for the river erosion that we see in the news. According to the statistics provided by the UN from 1973-2017, the three main rivers, Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna, have engulfed 160,000 hectares of land. By the end of 2020, another 4,500 hectares were lost, according to the Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services, displacing around 45,000 people. This loss of land results in riverbank populations losing their land for living and farming, forcing them to migrate to cities looking for work and a roof over their head. Due to which you can see the significant rise in the density of the population in the urban areas of Bangladesh, causing several other problems to be tackled.
The rising average temperature is another scenario to investigate; in recent years (2018-2022), Bangladesh has experienced a hike of 0.9°C in its summer temperature. Bangladesh recorded its highest temperature of 43.8°C in 2024, which was the highest in 50 years. Such extreme heat disrupts the daily life of working group people and also significantly affects farming of crops and essentials, disrupting the necessary supply.
In this scenario, education must play a central role in tackling the crisis. It is wise to say at this point, ‘having a sustainable mindset is a necessity for the people in Bangladesh.’ What is sustainability? is one question, the answer to which is not clear to even the literate population of the country. Sustainability, in simple words, is meeting our needs today in a manner that the future generations can meet their needs, which includes using natural resources responsibly, establishing a balance and harmony with nature, and adapting more sustainable methods in our daily lives. A more straightforward statement can be living our lives by not damaging the environment too much so that the future generation can survive.
In 2015 the United Nations introduced the 17 sustainable development goals for its member states to achieve sustainable development by 2030. Among these, goal number 13, ‘Climate Action,’ is one of the least emphasised goals in Bangladesh by the local authorities and international voluntary organisations. The best chance for Bangladesh in having a ‘sustainable mindset’ is to train its children from a young age and allow them to grow and develop from the learning. Investing in sustainability education for its youth offers Bangladesh a unique opportunity to create a generation capable of mitigating and adapting to climate change. The first step towards this approach should begin at schools where students can be made aware of the crisis, the current scenario, various sustainable practices, etc. No doubt, it can be said that ‘sustainability’ has just been a textbook topic in the education system in Bangladesh, with no minimal or proper knowledge of it amongst the previous and upcoming generations.
Topics like climate science, renewable energy, and waste management are integrated into subjects such as science, geography, and social studies, which can provide students with a well-rounded understanding of sustainability. Hands-on activities, such as tree planting, recycling programs, and energy-saving initiatives, can instill eco-friendly habits in children. A study by UNESCO revealed that early exposure to sustainability practices leads to lifelong environmental stewardship. Today’s students are tomorrow’s policymakers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Educating them about sustainable development ensures that they grow into leaders capable of making informed decisions to combat climate change in their respective fields.
The five initial steps urgently required in both the public and private education systems are as follows:Ìý
Ensure proper training of teachers on sustainability and its practice.
Integration of basic knowledge regarding the environment and how to take care of it in the curriculum.
Engage students with sustainable activities in their daily lives.
Encourage the schools to adopt a ‘green efficiency and practice’ mindset and benefit from it in the short and long term.
Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate change makes it imperative to educate its young population about sustainability. To address these issues, the government must allocate more resources to education and collaborate with NGOs and international organisations. However, progress is being made with non-governmental organisations that have launched programs to raise climate awareness in schools, but much remains to be done to mainstream sustainability education nationwide, and the process is too slow and needs a boost. Sustainability education is not just an option for Bangladesh; it is a necessity. The time to act is now.
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Mohammed Safquat Alam studies global change and sustainability at the University of Vienna, Austria.
