Indicator Framework for Assessing Livelihood Resilience to Climate Change for Vulnerable

Communities Dependent on Sundarban Resource System

Shibly Sadik1 and Rezaur Rahman2

Abstract

Due to its location, characteristics Sundarban mangrove forest can be considered as highly
vulnerable ecosystem to the climate change. The climate change induced ecosystem
vulnerabilities threat the livelihoods by reducing the productivity, altering the species
composition and zonation. Sundarban ecosystem is integral for lives and livelihoods of many
poor and vulnerable communities. Four livelihood groups have been identified who are
directly dependent on the Sundarban Resource System. They are wood cutters (bawalis),
honey collectors (mouals), Nypa (golpata) collectors, fishermen (jele) and snail & oyster
collectors (chunery). Their livelihood opportunities and strategies are directly dependent on
ecosystem health of Sundarban. The aim of the study is to track the impact of climate change
induced salinity intrusion on livelihoods and to develop an indicator framework for livelihood
resilience through interdisciplinary approach. The study will be conducted following
Sustainable Livelihood Assessment Framework. For this study the resilient livelihood has
been defined as sustainable livelihood which is function of five capitals (natural, physical,
financial, social and human) having ability to absorb, to withstand and to recover the
vulnerabilities due to any change in the natural resource system. The impact assessment will
be done following the Sustainable Livelihood Assessment (SLA) method. Hazard chain will
be developed to track the effects of salinity intrusion on the livelihood system. The hazard
chain will be developed based on literature review and will be refined through Share
Learning Dialogue (SLD) with livelihood groups. These hazard chains will synthesize the
concept of how the vulnerability is propagating from ecosystem to livelihoods and how the
livelihood capitals are changing in response to climate change induced salinity intrusion.
These hazard chains will help to identify the existing resiliency measures in their livelihood
strategies. For developing indicator framework a set of indicators will be preliminarily
identified around each of the five capitals through literature review which will then be refined
by PRA using the SLD method. This set of quantitative and qualitative indicators will be used
to develop a participatory livelihood resilience model. This model will be reported in the
paper.

Key words: Sundarban forest, Livelihoods, Climate Change, Resilience, Indicator

1
Student MSc Water Resources Development Program, Institute of Water and Flood
Management, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
email: ssjony@gmail.com
2
Professor, Institute of Water and Flood Management, Bangladesh University of Engineering and
Technology
email: rezaur@iwfm.buet.ac.bd