In the News: Farhana Sultana

The article, co-authored by Professor of Geography and the Environment Farhana Sultana, was published in Environmental Research Letters.

“That a Muslim woman in a colonized country conceived of green innovation, universal education and social equity as forms of justice more than a century ago is deeply inspiring, ” writes Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment, about Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's Sultana's Dream (1905).

A diverse audience gathered in the U.S. Capitol for a series of remarks and panel discussions on the future of Bangladesh and its people.  

“One year after the July Revolution, the memory of brave young lives lost continues to light the path toward a just, democratic, and united Bangladesh,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

“In a region where democratic backsliding has often been normalized, Bangladesh is attempting a rare and ambitious path forward. But reforms – no matter how visionary – face real resistance from entrenched interests and are fraught with obstacles, both internal and external, that threaten to derail Bangladesh’s progress,” writes Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

India's move to use the Indus Waters Treaty as geopolitical leverage “undermines the legal integrity of such treaties,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment. ”These treaty violations and suspensions can have ripple-on deleterious (harmful) effects across and beyond the region for the examples they set,” she says.

Co-authored by Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment, this study's framework generates storylines with the potential to advance transformative policies and new pathways towards climate-just futures. Published in Nature Cities.

Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment, and co-authors argue that recognizing and acknowledging historical foundations, academic and grassroots contributions for climate justice is the first step towards achieving justice in mitigation and adaptation. Published in Nature Climate Change.

“I don't think COP29 delivered the way many developing countries wanted. It was called the finance COP but you could call it a cop out in terms of how well the countries pledged a fraction of the needed finance. That goal of $1.3 trillion a year becoming only $300 billion a year now,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

“The type of damage that you'll see is to property, to infrastructure, to roads and highways, but also to critical infrastructure like hospitals and power stations. And this will be devastating. It will be in the many billions of dollars,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment. 

Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment, has edited and contributed to this collection, which exposes how legacies of colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism co-produce and exacerbate the climate crisis, create disproportionate impacts on those who contributed the least to climate change, and influence global and local responses. (Routledge, 2024).

The Maxwell School professor talked about the effects of climate change and importance of geographical knowledge during her remarks for the Voices from the Global South series.

“The installation of [Nobel Laureate Muhammad] Yunus as interim head is what Bangladesh needs at this time. His first speech called to ensure the protection of all religious and ethnic minorities, prevent violence and strengthen  democratic processes to keep rebuilding Bangladesh,” writes Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

“This is a massive flooding event...and the floods were quite rapid in their onset. There are over 5 million people who are marooned or stranded and devasted across 11 districts, 23 reported deaths now but those figures will rise and relief cannot reach many people,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment. 

“The country’s democratic revolution is being targeted by both external and internal sources of misinformation and propaganda,” writes Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

“This revolution movement was led by very young students, the youthful generation. And they have called upon Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus to be the chief advisor of this interim, caretaker government. And they've called for peaceful transition,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

Professor of Geography and the Environment Farhana Sultana, concerned about how her work may be repurposed, says, “All this occurs while our intellectual property is woefully inadequately compensated, since there is abuse and profit off our mostly free intellectual labor by private corporations reaping profits in the billions of dollars annually from the sale of our books.”

“Globally, safe water access for all can be achieved only by involving Indigenous and local communities in water governance and climate planning. People are not voiceless, they simply remain unheard. The way forward is through listening,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

“The control of oil and gas resources has been a key factor in many conflicts and geopolitical imperialism, either by providing part of the motivation for an invasion or by helping countries fund their militaries,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment. “Conflict, in turn, feeds production by driving up oil and gas prices,” she adds.

Women in Bangladesh suffer disproportionately during floods, as Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment, has documented in a study, in part because they bear the brunt of responsibility for managing water and food for their household, as well as taking care of their children.