1.6 Conclusion
The threat to Sunderbans is very real and urgent. More and more islands are
drowning with rising sea level and the protective mangrove forest is disappearing
slowly. The people and animals inhabiting these islands are losing their homes at an
alarming rate. The rising sea level is inundating these low lying islands more
frequently than ever before. This is resulting in increased salinity levels in the soil
and subsequent reduction of its fertility. The farmers, in order to get higher yields in
these adverse conditions are increasing their dependence on hybrid seeds and
chemical fertilizers, which by itself is not a sustainable process.
Human adaptation to climate change induced impacts in one sector affects other
sectors both in the same region and outside (Warren 2011). The fact is that the run
off from these chemical fertilizers are polluting the surrounding water bodies and
subsequently increasing the acid levels of the Sea. Increased rates of acidification of
Oceans, creation of dead zones and over fishing together are leading to extinction of
several species of fishes and harming the marine ecosystem all over the world. This
in turn would hurt most the coastal communities who depend on the Sea for their
livelihoods. This problem has already started affecting the Sunderban fishermen.
“Human adaptation responses to sea-level rise range from managed retreat, building
of dykes and construction of flood barriers” (cited in Warren 2011, p. 227), But
with the sea levels going up considerably, it would be challenging to make the
embankments’ height match the height of the rising Sea. Also building such barriers
harm the ecosystem for it hinders the growth of mangroves. Warren writes that in a
4 degree world, water scarcity would go up, soil fertility would reduce, crops would
fail and this all would force people to migrate out from their homelands in search of
greener pastures. Unfortunately all these climate change and anthropogenic causes
induced effects are already showing in Sunderbans and is forcing the inhabitants to
move out. Afforestation with indigenous trees, reduction of fossil fuel usage
globally and stopping deforestation are the only ways to save ecologically fragile
regions like the Sunderbans.
The Delta Vision Report published by World Wild Life Fund in 2011 suggested
that all the inhabitants of the Sunderban islands should move out in waves and settle
elsewhere. They argue that since the island building process was incomplete when
the settlements began, the islands are thus unable to cope with the rising sea level
and the current rate of erosion. But social scientists counter argue, for these
unskilled or not formally trained folks of Sunderbans, such a drastic step would be
impossible to manage. Yes, they do outmigrate but they come back during harvest
or when they fall sick. But if these lands are completely taken away from them, they
would simply become homeless in big cities.
Thus my question, Is there a tomorrow for Sunderbans? And even if the dwellers
migrate out, will the islands survive?
Is There a Tomorrow?: The Story of Survival …
373
The threat to Sunderbans is very real and urgent. More and more islands are
drowning with rising sea level and the protective mangrove forest is disappearing
slowly. The people and animals inhabiting these islands are losing their homes at an
alarming rate. The rising sea level is inundating these low lying islands more
frequently than ever before. This is resulting in increased salinity levels in the soil
and subsequent reduction of its fertility. The farmers, in order to get higher yields in
these adverse conditions are increasing their dependence on hybrid seeds and
chemical fertilizers, which by itself is not a sustainable process.
Human adaptation to climate change induced impacts in one sector affects other
sectors both in the same region and outside (Warren 2011). The fact is that the run
off from these chemical fertilizers are polluting the surrounding water bodies and
subsequently increasing the acid levels of the Sea. Increased rates of acidification of
Oceans, creation of dead zones and over fishing together are leading to extinction of
several species of fishes and harming the marine ecosystem all over the world. This
in turn would hurt most the coastal communities who depend on the Sea for their
livelihoods. This problem has already started affecting the Sunderban fishermen.
“Human adaptation responses to sea-level rise range from managed retreat, building
of dykes and construction of flood barriers” (cited in Warren 2011, p. 227), But
with the sea levels going up considerably, it would be challenging to make the
embankments’ height match the height of the rising Sea. Also building such barriers
harm the ecosystem for it hinders the growth of mangroves. Warren writes that in a
4 degree world, water scarcity would go up, soil fertility would reduce, crops would
fail and this all would force people to migrate out from their homelands in search of
greener pastures. Unfortunately all these climate change and anthropogenic causes
induced effects are already showing in Sunderbans and is forcing the inhabitants to
move out. Afforestation with indigenous trees, reduction of fossil fuel usage
globally and stopping deforestation are the only ways to save ecologically fragile
regions like the Sunderbans.
The Delta Vision Report published by World Wild Life Fund in 2011 suggested
that all the inhabitants of the Sunderban islands should move out in waves and settle
elsewhere. They argue that since the island building process was incomplete when
the settlements began, the islands are thus unable to cope with the rising sea level
and the current rate of erosion. But social scientists counter argue, for these
unskilled or not formally trained folks of Sunderbans, such a drastic step would be
impossible to manage. Yes, they do outmigrate but they come back during harvest
or when they fall sick. But if these lands are completely taken away from them, they
would simply become homeless in big cities.
Thus my question, Is there a tomorrow for Sunderbans? And even if the dwellers
migrate out, will the islands survive?
Is There a Tomorrow?: The Story of Survival …
373