Grace McCarthy

Great Problem Seminar: Extinctions. Abstract: As the global climate continues to shift, many different environmental changes are being experienced far and wide. One of the most widely known effects of climate change is the global rise of sea levels. All around the world, countries are being impacted by this in various ways, especially in coastal regions. Bangladesh, a country east of India, lying in the Bay of Bengal, is experiencing the challenges and consequences many countries have begun to face. The increasing sea levels in combination with increasing extreme weather patterns have greatly increased the rates and levels of flooding in Bangladesh. Among other effects, this has led to increased groundwater salinity and erosion. Of the many issues stemming from these changes, this chapter focuses on three areas: the expansion of the aquaculture industry, the damage that is being done to the Sundarbans mangrove forest, and the effect that these issues have on the people of Bangladesh.