IUGG 2003 Abstract

P03 The Role of Tides, Mesoscale Processes, and Bottom Topography in Energy Transfer and Mixing Tuesday, July 1 PM Location: Site B, Room 19 Presiding Chair:E. Morozov

TIME [ 1720 ] [ P03/01P/B19-010 ]

ADAPTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES OF GLOBAL WARMING CONSEQUENCES IN COASTAL BANGLADESH

Md. SALEQUZZAMAN(Ph. D. Candidate and Researcher, Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy (ISTP), Murdoch University, Perth, WA-6150, Australia & Associate Professor, Environmental Science, Khulna University, Bangladesh)

Peter NEWMAN(Director, ISTP, Murdoch University, Australia and Director, Sustainability Unit, Premier & Cabinet Division, Western Australia)

Global warming consequences and impacts of sea level rise characterize the recent evolution of the coastal environment. All of these concerns with ‘green house gas’ caused by mainly the burning fossil fuels. Part of the solution therefore, is to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and increases the use of renewable energy. Bangladesh is not a country of ‘green house gas’ contributor, but is the victim of potential threats of sea level rise from global warming. Because of its’ natural physical setting of coastal environmental. From several studies, it is projected that by the year 2050 the mean sea level may rise as much as 1.8 meters by the combined effects of accelerated substance and ecstatic rise. This may result in the loss of up to 16% of the land that support 13% of the country’s GDP. This impact will change the present coastal water current and movement, precipitation and run-off, and also the tidal range of coastal Bangladesh. Some recent studies have suggested that tidal range of some part of coastal Bangladesh has a good potential for producing tidal energy (an important source of renewable energy) by utilizing its’ present costly infrastructure of coastal embankment and sluice gates. Once this tidal energy may adapt in coastal Bangladesh, the future global warming will increase its’ further potentiality. Practically, coastal Bangladesh is extremely resourceful and very much important for economic, environmental and cultural activity to local as well as national and international community. But till now, most of the potential resources of this area are under-utilized, over-utilized or non-utilized, mainly due to lack of electricity and integrated coastal management practices. Thus, the paper will discuss the global warming threats to coastal Bangladesh and how utilizing the potentiality of tidal energy could mitigate the threat. Finally, the paper will a framework on how the tidal energy could be integrated with various potential coastal resources for the sustainable development of coastal Bangladesh.