Weathering the storm: Climate change, vulnerability, and adaptation in Bangladesh

The world is guaranteed a certain level of climate change due to the emissions already released into the atmosphere. Therefore, adaptation to climate change is necessary. Increases in diarrheal disease and malnutrition due to climate change are analyzed for Bangladesh. Relative risks determined by the World Health Organization, estimates obtained from agricultural models, and migration estimates are utilized to determine the costs associated with each of these diseases, as well as reductions in rice production and increases in urban migration. It is found that climate change will create additional costs for treating each of these diseases that equal .05% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), losses to rice production equal to 1.5705% of GDP, and increases in urban migration of 4.2%. Utilizing a vulnerability framework, adaptation policies are recommended that reduce societal vulnerability to these impacts.