Vulnerability Mapping and Learning Insights
As part of this module, I explored climate vulnerability in selected regions of Bangladesh through virtual field trip videos, community testimonials, and a text-based role-playing game. This learning experience deepened my understanding of how climate change interacts with social, economic, health, education and institutional factors to shape vulnerability, especially among already marginalised communities.
From the virtual field tri
I identified key vulnerabilities in Dhaka, Cox’s Bazar, and Satkhira.
In Dhaka, intense monsoon rainfall leads to frequent flooding and prolonged waterlogging, overwhelming drainage systems and disrupting transport, housing, and livelihoods. Heat stress, unsafe drinking water, and sanitation challenges further increase health risks, particularly for low-income and informal settlement communities. Rapid urbanisation, high population density, and weak urban planning significantly increase vulnerability.
Cox’s Bazar faces severe coastal hazards, including cyclones, storm surges, and coastal erosion. These risks are intensified by the presence of large Rohingya refugee camps, where overcrowding, water scarcity, poor sanitation, and limited livelihood options heighten exposure. The area’s dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods such as fishing and tourism further increases vulnerability.
In Satkhira, climate change manifests through salinity intrusion, tidal flooding, and cyclones. Salinity affects agriculture, fisheries, and freshwater availability, undermining food security and livelihoods. Weak embankments, poverty, and limited institutional capacity reduce communities’ ability to adapt, making vulnerability persistently high.
The community testimonial videos were particularly powerful because they humanised climate vulnerability. Rather than presenting climate change as an abstract concept, the testimonies showed how everyday life is disrupted—farmers losing crops due to salinity, families struggling to access safe water, and women bearing increased care burdens during climate shocks. A key insight was that climate change exacerbates existing inequalities. Those with fewer resources, less political voice, and limited access to services are consistently the most affected. The videos also highlighted community resilience, such as local adaptation strategies and mutual support, even in the face of repeated climate stress.
Climate Choices: Bangladesh Pathways”
I also played the text-based RPG Climate Choices: Bangladesh Pathways, which simulated decision-making under climate stress. During the gameplay, I chose to prioritise investments in flood protection, water access, and livelihood diversification rather than short-term economic gains. These choices were influenced by insights from the module, particularly the understanding that long-term resilience depends on addressing structural vulnerabilities rather than reacting to disasters after they occur.
However, the game also revealed difficult trade-offs. Limited resources meant that supporting one group sometimes reduced support for another, mirroring real-world governance challenges. This experience reinforced the module’s message that climate adaptation is as much a social and political challenge as it is an environmental one. Decision-making under uncertainty, competing priorities, and unequal power dynamics closely reflects the real challenges faced by communities in Bangladesh.
Summarily, the module strengthened my understanding of climate vulnerability as a multi-dimensional issue shaped by environmental hazards, socio-economic conditions, health implications, and institutional capacity. The integration of virtual field trips, community voices, and interactive gameplay made the learning experience engaging and reflective, highlighting the importance of inclusive, long-term, and context-specific approaches to climate resilience.