Livelihood resilience, ecotourism, and climate change in Sundarban, Bangladesh

Resilience discourse is increasingly becoming important in research and policy especially in climate change adaptation and international development. Much work has been done on resilience in these two arenas, but a weak... [ view full abstract ]

Resilience discourse is increasingly becoming important in research and policy especially in climate change adaptation and international development. Much work has been done on resilience in these two arenas, but a weak engagement remains to livelihood and tourism. Drawing upon a unique case study on ecotourism in coastal Bangladesh, this paper explores the meaning of resilience in relation to rural livelihood and ecotourism in the face of climate change. The data come from a six-month intensive fieldwork with the Sundarban dependent rural marginalized population in coastal Bangladesh. Sundarban is the world’s
largest single block mangrove forest located in the south-west coastal Bangladesh and Indian state of West Bengal and it is one of the biodiversity rich forests in the world. It is also a UNESCO heritage site, which is shrunk by 415 square kilometers by the last four decades. Shrinking the forest and the biodiversity degradation has impacted in two ways on the forest and its dependents. First, about 5 million people who directly and indirectly depend on Sundarban for their livelihoods are struggling to make their living, and second,
they over extract the forest resources for their survival. As a result, the future of this forest and its dependents become very uncertain.

Based on my observation and analysis, I propose some steps to be taken by local and international community to enhance livelihood resilience through ecotourism to protect Sundarban mangrove ecosystem.