Environmental change and dynamic vulnerability in Subarnabad Village, Bangladesh.

摘要

This thesis characterizes the nature of people's vulnerability to environmental changes, via a case study of Subarnabad village in southwest Bangladesh. Individual interviews, focus groups and observational visits generated insights on the dynamic and multi-faceted nature of vulnerability of the poorest residents of the village.; By utilizing the knowledge and experiences of the village residents, this research shows that adjustments in the local production systems from primarily crop-based farming to shrimp farming have resulted in a redefinition of livelihoods for the villagers. This has resulted in a decrease in adaptive capacity of the poorest of the village to current conditions and to potential future environmental changes, including climate change. The case study highlights that the development of adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerabilities to climate related stresses need to reflect the dynamics of people's livelihoods, working in particular to reduce the vulnerabilities they currently face and to strengthen their adaptive capacity.