Sea-level rise and sustainable shore protection strategies in the low-lying delta: A case study of Bangladesh

The planet is warming, causing sea levels to rise at a rapid rate of 4.0 mm/year in the 21st century. Bangladesh, a low-lying country in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta known as the Bengal Delta, has experienced a 26.0 cm mean sea level shift at an average rate of 11.6 mm/year over the past two and a half decades. This rise is attributed to geological settings, natural hazards, and land subsidence, with a plausible relative sea-level rise rate of 4.0 to 7.8 mm/year. This has caused shore erosion, flooding, inundation, and salinity intrusion in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Consequently, coastal ecosystems and livelihoods are under threat. The Gangetic Delta region in Bangladesh has experienced a significant increase in mean sea level, with projections of sea level increases of 14, 32, and 88 cm by 2030, 2050, and 2100, respectively. Methods of protection that are considered conventional are making this problem more complicated. The purpose of this review was to investigate the effects of rising sea levels and to propose a method of sustainable shore protection that is both cost effective and friendly to the environment. A strong emphasis has been placed on the preservation of natural resources, the effectiveness of the method, and the formulation of policy directions that can be implemented along the coast of Bangladesh.