3.2. Reflecting on Investment in Technology vs. Social Empowerment

Dhaka, the city of more than 12 million people is encompassing both rapidly globalizing economy and infrastructurally poor neighbourhoods. Every day people are migrating to the city looking for a better life and livelihood for various climatic reasons. Among the 5.4 million urban poor living in cities more than 63% live in Dhaka alone, high density of population with limited or no access to services make living conditions challenging.

Dhaka is a large and densely populated city facing significant challenges. With over 12 million residents, many are migrating to the city in search of better opportunities due to climate-related issues. A staggering 63% of the urban poor, equating to 5.4 million individuals, reside in Dhaka. This high population density combined with inadequate infrastructure creates harsh living conditions where access to basic services is limited or nonexistent.

Imagine a small town where everyone wants to live well, but the houses are crowded, and there's not enough food or jobs. Just as people in that town would struggle to thrive because many are living close together without enough resources, the same happens in Dhaka, but on a larger scale.

The research identified several coping strategies, people made physical modifications within built environment as well as making improvements at the neighbourhood level. To reduce the impacts of waterlogging, they increased plinth height made barriers at door front, increased furniture height, arranged higher storage facilities and took community initiatives to clean drainage.

To cope with climate change impacts such as flooding, residents of Dhaka have adopted various strategies. They raised the height of their homes (plinth height), made barriers at their doorways to prevent water entry, increased the height of their furniture, and enhanced their storage. Moreover, they organized community efforts to clean drainage systems, ensuring better water flow and reducing the likelihood of flooding.

Think of a family living in a flood-prone area. They might build their house on stilts and elevate their furniture to keep everything dry when water rises. Similarly, the residents of Dhaka are using creative strategies to protect their homes and belongings.

Households having more than one earning member in diversified professions did better during any event of disaster, social network helped people to get assistance during disasters and improved living conditions and livelihood opportunities.

Families with multiple earners from various professions tend to fare better during disasters, demonstrating greater resilience. Additionally, strong social networks are crucial for providing help and support during crises, which improves overall living conditions and expands livelihood opportunities.

Consider a team in a sport. The more diverse the skills of the players, the better the team performs overall. Similarly, households with multiple income sources and a strong community bond are more likely to survive challenging situations successfully.

The future challenges of adaptation planning in city level needs to be creative, understanding and establishing connections between diversity and complexity. Any adaptation measure for the urban poor has to work towards bridging the gap from present experiences.

To address future challenges, city planners must adopt creative adaptation strategies that recognize and leverage the city's diversity and complexity. Any measures put in place for the urban poor should aim to close the gap between current experiences and future necessities, ensuring that progress is achievable and effective.

Imagine a gardener trying to grow different plants in a garden. To succeed, the gardener must be thoughtful about the plants' unique needs and how they interact. Similarly, city planners need to understand the diverse needs of the urban poor to create effective solutions.

Is it really wise to invest on such expensive technology rather to invest on social empowerment and better alternatives for coping to the climate change?

The text raises an important question about resource allocation: should we focus on investing in costly technologies like advanced infrastructure, or should we prioritize social empowerment initiatives that build resilience in communities? Finding the balance between these two approaches is vital for effective adaptation to climate change.

Think about a rich person buying an expensive car versus a community investing in training programs to help everyone learn new skills. The car might look nice but teaching people how to support themselves can have a lasting positive impact.

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