The Sundarbans

Governments of Bangladesh and India were encouraged to co-operate with interested parties and consider initiating actions that could eventually lead to the joint inscription of The Sundarbans World Heritage site of Bangladesh and the Sundarbans National Park World Heritage site of India as a single entry on the World Heritage List

In June 2001, the twenty-fifth session of the Bureau was informed of the plan of the Government of Bangladesh to explore “block 5” of the Sundarbans Reserve Forest for oil and gas. Shell has publicly declared that it has no plans for exploration activities in the Special Reserved Forest (SRF).  The World Heritage site comprises three sections of the SRF at the coastal edge (see map in Annex 1 to this document).  In a letter to IUCN Bangladesh, Shell note that: 

·       The Sundarbans is also a Ramsar site.  The Ramsar Convention has confirmed that the Ramsar site is synonymous with the SRF and does not extend beyond the SRF.

·       Shell will carry out extensive environmental and social studies and stakeholder engagement before conducting any activities elsewhere in Block 5.

·       As regards the socio-economic impact zone outside the northern peripheries of the SRF, Shell will be discussing the implications of oil and gas exploration with the Ministry of Environment and Forest.

·       Shell recognizes that one of the main objectives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) -Government of Bangladesh (GoB) Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project (SBCP) is to reduce the poverty level of the 3.5 million people living in the impact zone and provide them with alternative livelihood options and encourage them to leave the forest.   

·       By providing economic activities, and in the case of successful exploration of clean gas, Shell can add value to the objectives of the SBCP and be a party to providing sustainable development opportunities in the region.

·       Shell-Bangladesh is aware of the need to consider the potential indirect impacts on the SRF of any of its future activities elsewhere. Such exploration activities, whether inside the socio-economic impact zone, or elsewhere in Block 5, will be continued only after full environmental and social impact assessments and in consultations with all stakeholders.

·       The current phase of the project consists of exploration only. If hydrocarbons are discovered and it is decided subsequently to develop them, further EIA and SIA studies will be undertaken, together with continuing stakeholder consultations.

 

On 20 September 2001 Shell convened its first workshop in Dhaka to share information about the ensuing work programme, oil and gas exploration and emergent issues and questions. It distributed briefing papers to stakeholders and invited responses and discussion.  A web site has been launched with updated information on Shell’s activities in Bangladesh: http://www.shell.com/bd/. IUCN Bangladesh is in discussion with Shell about their activities and will continue to advise them as and when requested. Shell is hosting, in co-operation with World Bank, a high level discussion on extractive industry (primarily oil and gas) on 21 and 22 October 2001, in Washington, USA. Representatives of the Centre and IUCN/WCPA will participate in the event and the main outcomes of the discussion will be reported to the Bureau at the time of its session.

 

The Steering Committee, established by GoB for smooth implementation of the SBCP, has invited IUCN Bangladesh to be a member.  As part of the SBCP, IUCN Bangladesh will conduct independent monitoring of biodiversity of the Sundarbans, drawing on wetland, marine and protected area specialists from its international network. IUCN Bangladesh reports that the GoB has agreed to a second biodiversity project for the World Heritage site. The UN Foundation has provided a planning grant for a project to be executed jointly by UNDP Offices in Bangladesh and India for promoting trans-border co-operation between the two countries for improving World Heritage biodiversity conservation. The planning grant project activities are underway and a larger proposal for possible financing by the UNF and UNDP will be the principal outcome of the planning phase. UNDP has appointed consultants for preparation of the project proposal.

 

A media report claims that “due to the high level of salinity, 30 Bengal Tigers have died within the past 10 years.  Autopsy reports revealed that liver damage has caused the death of these Tigers”, have been brought to the attention of IUCN. The article mentions a proposal by the Bangladesh Forest Department for a five-year, US$2 million project called "Tiger Project: Sundarbans" which, though proposed in 1991, has not been implemented. IUCN has received advice that salinity levels are not a special threat to the tigers in the Sundarbans as they have adapted to water with salinity levels higher than in other parts of its range in South Asia.  There may well be indirect threats to the tigers if salinity-induced changes impact other components of its habitat; i.e. its principal prey species, and habitat structures and distribution.

 

IUCN has been informed that the ‘crown death’ of Sundri trees, the dominant mangrove species in the Sundarbans, could be attributable to salinity, sedimentation, pest attack and natural successional processes, although salinity is frequently cited as the primary reason. The SBCP has initiated a study on the death of the Sundri trees. IUCN has received preliminary media reports of a planned ‘Biodiversity Project’ - comprised of an ‘Ecopark’ and mangrove arboretum - for Karamjal, situated in the Sundarbans East Zone under the Chandpai range.  Karamjal is a captive breeding centre for many critically endangered species of the Sundarbans.  The Ecopark will cover an area of 30 hectares and play a vital role in conserving forest resources while also being a tourist attraction for international visitors.