ABSTRACT
The cities of the coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to natural and human-made disasters. It is essential to analyze the extent to which adjustments are essential to fulfill the requirements, resources, aspirations, and goals of urban poor populations for urban growth to be socially, economically, and institutionally sustainable. Sustainable livelihoods are achieved when the poorest face conditions in which they can improve their quality of life and reduce their vulnerabilities in an environmentally sustainable manner. Any increase in disasters, whether large or small, has threatened development gains and hindered the implementation of the development goals and vulnerable people. This chapter, therefore, aims to address the sustainability of disaster-affected people living in urban areas in the context of their access to natural and social resources. In these areas, various urban hazards such as urban fires, flooding, waterlogging due to poor drainage, and windstorms that cause havoc, especially in slums, are created by a mix of societal and environmental factors. The data of this study were collected by applying quantitative (survey) and qualitative (in-depth interview, focus group discussion, and observation) methods. The respondents were chosen using simple random sampling. Seven variables have been used to assess sustainable urban livelihood: natural resource, financial asset, occupation, vulnerability, disaster preparedness, social resource, and physical asset. The mean SLI (74.61) indicates that the majority of the respondents in the study areas endure a low level of sustainability, implying that they have limited access to natural and socioeconomic resources. In the research area, more than half of the respondents (60%) were employed but not doing the permanent job. In the study areas, the average monthly family income was 4726.87 BDT. The study also proposes ways for disaster-affected people to sustain their livelihoods by suggesting alternative employment options. The study discovered that natural resources such as land, trees, and water bodies, as well as agricultural operations, have a positive impact on income, food, health, housing, and social relationships. In Khulna city, improved infrastructure and social assets have a statistically significant positive effect on long-term livelihood.
