Environmental impact of Shelter/NFI in a protracted crisis
By: Karolina Brach, IOM

As the Rohingya crisis enters the fifth year, 899,239 refugees are living in 33 camps located in 5,844 acres of hilly terrain in South-eastern Bangladesh.
Shelters are exposed to cyclic monsoons and face risk of floods, landslides, fire and cyclones. Only temporary materials such as bamboo and tarpaulin are permitted for use in the camps. Dependence on primarily one construction material-bamboo, has an impact on its available natural reserves in the country. It is critical to reduce the environmental impact on the fragile forest land hosting the camps, through alternative solutions for shelter materials, land stabilization and cleaner energy to meet the essential needs of refugees and avoid renewed degradation of recently restored landscapes.
This session will include examples on addressing environmental impacts of shelter and NFI assistance in the Rohingya response in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The participants will be encouraged to share experience and ideas from other responses on nature-based alternative solutions considering shrinking funding when self reliance activities are limited.