Households Economic Vulnerability Assessment Due to Climate Change: A Study on South-West Coastal Area of Bangladesh

The southwest coastal region of Bangladesh is facing significant economic impacts due to climate change-initiated events, which are closely linked to the adaptive capacity of local households. However, there is a limited study, and this study therefore assessed the economic vulnerability of 300 households in the Koyra sub-district of Khulna (a southwest coastal region) and identified key indicators of adaptive capacity that influence this vulnerability. Data were collected through a household survey. Using a composite index, we found an overall economic vulnerability of 0.645 (which implies an overall moderate vulnerability), with around 84% of households experiencing moderate to high vulnerability. The ordered logistic regression revealed that factors such as female-headed households, poor health of the household head, presence of disabled or dependent members, lack of access to safety nets and financial services, and inability to grow crops were identified as significant determinants of economic vulnerability. The study suggests that collaboration between the community and government to implement essential economic and climate adaptation strategies could help reduce the vulnerability and increase the resilience of southwest coastal households in Bangladesh. Specifically, enhancing alternative livelihoods, expanding salinity-tolerant rice varieties, and implementing greater social safety nets are essential.