The Importance of Climate Justice

Climate change has already made a dangerous mark on our planet and continues to do so. Just this week, Hurricane Beryl, which has devastated several Caribbean islands and killed at least seven people, became the earliest category 5 Atlantic hurricane. This is on top of the onslaught of floods, fires and storms that have increased in intensity and frequency as a result of our warming planet.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines stated “The developed countries, the major emitters, are not taking this matter seriously.” This is the complicated reality of climate change: uneven contributions and uneven consequences. We must recognize that a color-blind and broadly even approach to climate policy will only continue to perpetuate global and domestic inequality. It is important to understand that different communities have different resources at their disposal which affects how they are impacted by climate change. The best approach moving forward is one that is equitable and historically-minded to best ensure a safer and more just future.

On a global scale, the mechanics of climate injustice are inextricably linked to exploitation. Simply put, historically wealthy countries have benefitted immensely from carbon-driven production. Colonialism fueled this production, which in turn further fueled colonialism—economic exploitation and resource extraction from other countries. Now these wealthy countries, who were and are still today the biggest contributors to climate change, have the means to adapt and create climate-resilient communities. Meanwhile, less-developed countries, often marred by colonialism, are left more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Today, the 10 countries with the highest greenhouse gas emissions contribute over two-thirds of all emissions. These high contributors tend to be the most climate-resilient, while most climate-vulnerable countries contribute the least to emissions. 

But even within climate-resilient countries, the uneven distribution of wealth and resources, again rooted in the historic exploitation of communities, has created inconsistent levels of climate resiliency in this country. Climate change again helps perpetuate inequality. For instance, structural racism against black communities has made them more vulnerable to environmental burdens. Predominantly black communities often live in high flood-risk areas or areas with less green space to help reduce the impact of heat. In fact, black Americans typically are exposed to 56% higher levels of air pollution than what would be equitable. 

To ignore these factors is to continue this cycle of inequality. While climate justice has become increasingly popular as a concept, global and domestic policy still lack fully effective commitment. One study calculated that the global North currently owes the global South $192 trillion for their carbon emissions. Meanwhile, many current U.S. infrastructure projects, despite the Biden administration’s efforts to implement equity considerations, are projected to cause a net increase in carbon emissions that disproportionately burden communities of color. Reparative and climate equity-minded policies on an international scale, such as significant climate investments by wealthier countries into developing countries, should be implemented. 

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, there is “sufficient global capital and liquidity to close global investment gaps” in this regard—it is a matter of lowering barriers and properly directing funds. Domestically, we must recognize that addressing inequality with efforts in areas such as poverty reduction or more equitable health policies are means of promoting climate resiliency. Even just effectively scoring decarbonization efforts on equity outcomes can help the U.S. better track and prioritize equity in the fight against climate change. 

Climate change and social justice are inextricable from one another; establishing equal rights and opportunity is impossible without effectively combatting climate change, and effectively combatting climate change is impossible without orienting the efforts toward equal rights and opportunity. Climate justice should be a firm policy priority, and treating it as any less will have catastrophic consequences.