2.1 - Land Degradation and Adaptation Techniques
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Introduction to Climate Challenges in Dhaka
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we’re discussing the climate challenges faced by urban communities, particularly focusing on Dhaka. Can anyone tell me how climate change specifically affects cities?
I think it leads to more flooding and higher temperatures, especially with so many people living close together.
Exactly! Dhaka, with its 12 million residents, experiences significant flooding due to climate change, which exacerbates poverty and living conditions. Let's look deeper into how residents adapt to these challenges.
What kind of adaptations are they making?
Great question! They often make physical modifications, like raising the height of their homes to reduce flooding risks. Remember the acronym 'RAISE'—Raising height, Adapting environment, Improving drainage, Social support, Education. This captures some key adaptation strategies!
Coping Strategies in Urban Poor Communities
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now, let’s discuss coping strategies used by the urban poor in Dhaka. What are some ways they prepare for and respond to flooding?
They clean the drainage systems and raise furniture off the ground, right?
Absolutely! They also grow creepers on roofs to reduce heat. What do you think this means for their daily lives?
It sounds like they have to be very resourceful and work together as a community.
That’s a key point! Their social networks provide vital support during crises, emphasizing the importance of community resilience in adaptation.
Adaptation Techniques in Rural vs. Urban Settings
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Let’s compare adaptation techniques in urban settings versus rural areas. What do we know about rural adaptation?
I've heard that rural communities use traditional farming techniques to cope with drought.
Correct! For instance, in Western Africa, they have utilized 'Damloon' techniques for water conservation. Now, how do you think urban communities can learn from these rural techniques?
Maybe they can incorporate more nature-based solutions and traditional knowledge into their urban planning?
Exactly right! Urban planners must consider diverse strategies and leverage local knowledge for sustainable adaptation.
Technological Innovations in Flood Resistance
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
We need to explore how technology plays a role in urban adaptation. Can anyone share examples of technological innovations against flooding?
I think I’ve heard about floating houses in the Netherlands.
Yes! These houses can float during floods, but they come with significant financial investments. What are the pros and cons of such technology versus community-focused strategies?
Technology seems expensive and may not be accessible to everyone, while community solutions engage everyone easily.
Well articulated! Balancing technology with community empowerment is crucial for effective adaptation.
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
The section highlights the challenges faced by communities in Dhaka, as well as the adaptation strategies employed to cope with the effects of climate change, such as flooding and increasing temperatures. It also contrasts urban and rural adaptation methods, suggesting a need for creative solutions that recognize local knowledge and resilience.
Detailed
Land Degradation and Adaptation Techniques
This section examines the complexities and challenges faced by urban poor communities, particularly in Dhaka, as they wrestle with the impacts of climate change. With over 12 million residents, Dhaka is characterized by rapidly globalizing economies juxtaposed against infrastructurally poor neighborhoods. The urban poor—comprising over 5.4 million individuals—face exacerbated vulnerabilities due to environmental factors. Poverty serves as an underlying cause of increased disaster risks associated with climate change.
Adaptation techniques highlighted include:
- Physical Modifications: Residents have undertaken modifications to their living environments to mitigate flooding effects, such as increasing the plinth height of homes and implementing community drainage cleaning initiatives.
- Crop Cultivation Techniques: In regions like Western Africa, adaptation has taken the form of local farming techniques, including water conservation practices and crop diversification, facilitating revival in aridity-affected areas.
- Social Networks and Financial Strategies: Much of the community's resilience relies on diversified incomes and social networks that offer mutual support during disasters. Moreover, financial literacy and savings mechanisms were noted to enhance adaptive capacity.
The narrative transitions into contrasting urban settings like the Netherlands, where engineered structures such as floating houses represent high-tech responses to flooding. The section culminates in the need for a creative approach to adaptation, highlighting the interplay between local knowledge, resilience, and planning initiatives that must evolve in response to changing climatic realities.
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Urban Challenges in Dhaka
Chapter 1 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Dhaka, the city of more than 12 million people is encompassing both rapidly globalizing economy and infrastructurally poor neighbourhoods.
Detailed Explanation
Dhaka is a major city with a population exceeding 12 million. It faces challenges arising from a mixture of a fast-growing economy and areas with poor infrastructure. The contrast between wealth and poverty affects how communities can cope with issues brought on by climate change.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine a large kitchen that is beautifully designed on one side but has a messy stove and broken appliances on the other. While one side looks attractive and is functional, the other side struggles to keep up with cooking needs. This represents the disparity in Dhaka, where wealthy areas may thrive, but adjoining poorer neighborhoods face significant challenges.
Impact of Climate Change on Urban Poor
Chapter 2 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
The future climate change pattern may impact Dhaka from flooding and creating heat island where temperature may become a few degrees higher than the surrounding areas.
Detailed Explanation
Climate change is predicted to exacerbate problems in Dhaka, specifically through increased flooding and the creation of 'heat islands.' A heat island is an area that experiences significantly warmer temperatures than its surroundings due to human activities, which can worsen living conditions for residents.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a group of friends playing soccer on a sunny day on a field surrounded by tall buildings. As the sun beats down, the area around the buildings gets much hotter than the field. The same principle applies here; the infrastructure in cities can cause temperature increases, adversely affecting people's health.
Coping Strategies of Urban Communities
Chapter 3 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
The research identified several coping strategies, people made physical modifications within built environment as well as making improvements at the neighbourhood level.
Detailed Explanation
Research into coping strategies reveals that urban communities in Dhaka have adapted by modifying their homes and neighborhoods. This included practical measures like increasing the height of buildings to prevent flooding and organizing community cleaning initiatives.
Examples & Analogies
Think about how someone might build a raised garden bed in their yard to prevent plants from getting too much rainwater during storms. Similarly, urban residents in Dhaka are elevating their homes and creating systems within their neighborhoods to cope with adverse weather conditions.
Community Resilience and Social Networks
Chapter 4 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Social networks helped people to get assistance during disasters and improved living conditions and livelihood opportunities.
Detailed Explanation
The strength of social connections in Dhaka plays a crucial role during disasters. These networks provide support and assistance, which can enhance not just survival during difficult times but also improve overall living conditions and opportunities for better livelihoods.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine being part of a local sports team. When one player is injured, the others step in to support them, helping them recover. In the same way, social networks within communities act as a support system, ensuring that when someone faces hardship, they can rely on their neighbors for help.
Addressing Vulnerability and Building Resilience
Chapter 5 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
The urban poor are vulnerable to hazards induced by climate change as they respond to double exposure to climate variability and poverty; however, they also have certain level of built-in resilience.
Detailed Explanation
The urban poor face a dual challenge from both climate change and poverty, making their situation particularly vulnerable. Despite this, they exhibit resilience through their adaptive strategies and the community bonds they have formed.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a tree that grows in a stormy area. While it faces challenges from strong winds, its deep roots allow it to withstand harsh conditions. Similarly, the urban poor have developed their strategies and social connections that help them endure difficulties brought on by climate change.
Adaptation Techniques in Western Africa
Chapter 6 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
In Western Africa, there are local techniques they have started adapting the Damloon techniques of conserving water and soil conservation methods.
Detailed Explanation
In Western Africa, communities are adopting traditional techniques such as Damloon to conserve water and protect soil. These methods involve creating barriers using stones or soil to manage water flow and prevent erosion, showcasing how local knowledge can be effective.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a farmer placing small rocks along the edges of their farm field. This helps slow down the flow of rainwater, allowing it to soak into the soil rather than washing it away. This practice of using simple barriers is akin to the Damloon techniques employed for conservation.
Key Concepts
-
Poverty and Climate Change: The relationship between poverty and increased vulnerability to climate impacts.
-
Urban Resilience: How communities adapt to climate variability through innovative strategies.
-
Community Empowerment: The importance of social networks and mutual aid in crisis adaptation.
Examples & Applications
In Dhaka, residents raise the height of their houses to prevent flooding during heavy rains.
In Western Africa, traditional water conservation techniques revive agriculture in increasingly arid environments.
The Netherlands employs floating houses as a technological solution to adapt to rising water levels.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
In Dhaka's streets where waters flow, we build up high to help us grow.
Stories
Once upon a time, a village faced floods every year. They decided to lift their homes, creating a floating village that thrived, teaching others the power of community.
Memory Tools
Remember RAIN for adaptation: Raising, Infrastructure, Assistance, Networks.
Acronyms
RAISE - Raising height, Adapting environment, Improving drainage, Social support, Education.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Climate Change
Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.
- Urban Poor
Individuals living in urban areas who experience economic disadvantages.
- Adaptation
The process by which individuals and communities adjust to environmental changes.
- Resilience
The capacity of individuals or communities to recover quickly from difficulties.
- Community Networks
Social structures that help individuals within a community support each other.
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.