Policy Brief on BIMSTEC Cooperation for Addressing Environmental and Climate Change Challenges
Citation: Raihan, S., Iffah, K., (2024). BIMSTEC Cooperation for Addressing Environmental and Climate Change Challenges. SANEM Publications. Dhaka.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) unites seven nations: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. These countries share not only geographical proximity but also common environmental challenges, including climate change, natural disasters, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable resource exploitation. The BIMSTEC region is among the most vulnerable in the world to the impacts of climate change (Kelkar & Bhadwal, 2007). Rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, erratic monsoons, and intensified cyclones pose significant threats to millions of livelihoods. Coastal areas of Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar are especially at risk from rising sea levels, while Bhutan and Nepal grapple with glacial melt and its implications for water resources (Sahni et al., 2010; Townsley, 2004). Furthermore, environmental degradation — including deforestation, pollution, and biodiversity loss—continues to undermine the resilience of ecosystems across the region.
