Climate-Risk Sundarbans Needs Multi-Pronged and Unified Approach for Ecological Sustenance a Necessity for Improved Livelihood: Summary and Concluding Remarks

Abstract

The Sundarbans is an agglomeration of about 200 islands, separated by some 400 interconnected tidal rivers, creeks and canals spanning across two neighbouring countries of India and Bangladesh, is one of the largest productive deltas in the world and located in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river basin. It has a rich heritage of biodiversity of flora and fauna possibly unparallel to coastal or any other ecosystem in the world. Only 29 nations and territories in the world have a population density higher than that in Sundarbans. The populace of Sundarbans suffers due to abject poverty with poor livelihood security because of various constraints including climate-related disasters. There is need for a holistic look at the entire problem being essentially of transboundary nature, since the problems and solutions of the two are not only mutually dependent but also complementary to each other, and therefore attempts were made in this book seeking for a future road map for higher and sustainable productivity and improved livelihood status of this contiguous area. The compendium embodies a unique fusion of various risk factor analyses with respect to geohydrological, climatic, disaster, natural, and anthropological aspects in search of the goal while the ecology of the entire area is to be protected a necessity to ensure improved livelihood. While analysing various areas on a holistic note it was urged to explore the prospects of ecotourism, a non-farm activity, with mangrove destinations, on transboundary mode to support livelihood security particularly during stress periods.