Climate Vulnerability Assessment: Impacts on Health Outcomes in Secondary Cities of Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces many urban management challenges, including unplanned development, rapid population growth and land conversion. These challenges exacerbate the impacts of natural phenomena such as rainfall and heatwaves, exposing its cities to disasters leading to loss of life, destruction of natural resources and damage to economic activities, houses, and infrastructure.

This climate vulnerability assessment (CVA) conducted by the Adaptation Thought Leadership and Assessment (ATLAS) project focuses on the intersection of climate, human health and environmental management in Khulna and Chattogram, two rapidly growing, secondary cities in Bangladesh. Using both qualitative and quantitative data to better understand city-level areas of vulnerability, the CVA evaluates the current and future risks that climate variability and change present to maternal and child health and nutrition (MCHN) by exacerbating environmental challenges. The report also offers insights on the potential investment gaps that need to be addressed to help secondary cities in Bangladesh build resilience against climate risks. This resource is accompanied by an infographic that summarizes the CVA.