Climate change is already hurting us all, and will continue to do so unless governments take action. But its effects are much more tangible for certain groups of people, such as communities living off agriculture or coastal fisheries, and those who are already vulnerable, disadvantaged, and discriminated against.
Here are some examples of how climate change can exacerbate or is already exacerbating inequalities:
Between developing and developed countries:
At the state level, low-lying low-island states and least developed countries will and are already suffering the most. People in the Marshall Islands now regularly suffer devastating floods and storms that destroy their homes and livelihoods. In 2018, a wave of abnormal heat waves swept across the northern hemisphere, affecting Europe and North America, but its worst effects were best felt in countries like Pakistan, where, when temperatures rose above +44°C, more than 60 people died, mostly workers who worked in the heat.
Between different nationalities and classes:
The effects of climate change and fossil fuel pollution also affect different nationalities and classes differently. In North America, it is the inhabitants of poor communities of color who have to breathe poisoned air because the neighborhoods in which they live are more likely to be near power plants and oil refineries. They have significantly higher rates of respiratory disease and cancer, and African-Americans are three times more likely to die from the effects of air pollution than other U.S. residents.
Between the sexes:
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change and this suggests that they are likely to be marginalized and disadvantaged in many countries. This means they are more vulnerable to climate change events because they are less able to protect themselves and have a harder time returning to normalcy.
Intergenerational:
If governments don’t act now, future generations will face much worse consequences. But children and young people are already affected by climate change because of their specific metabolism, physiology and developmental needs.
Between communities:
Among those most affected by climate change are indigenous peoples. They often live on the least fertile lands and in fragile ecosystems that are particularly sensitive to changes in the physical environment. They maintain a close relationship with nature and their ancestral lands, on which they depend for their livelihoods and cultural identity.