Climate change awareness campaigns and social justice movements have been running alongside one another for years. Still, when climate change is discussed, one of the often-overlooked things is the disproportionate impact climate change will have on vulnerable communities.
As the world watched in horror at what unfolded during Hurricane Katrina, many didn’t realize it was a preview of things to come. Some in positions of power have been making strides to improve infrastructure and the ability of cities and states to cope with major environmental events since then, while others have continued to kick the proverbial can down the road.
Climate change will impact everyone as floods, rising sea levels, wildfires, drought and increasingly unpredictable storm seasons become more frequent and widespread. But vulnerable populations, such as those living below the poverty line, are the most susceptible to the negative impacts of climate change due to the unequal provisioning of services and access to resources following such an event.
