Climate Disasters & Environmental Justice

Climate disasters &
Environmental justice

Climate change and poverty

Climate change, poverty and inequality are linked. The impact of shifting weather patterns, droughts, flooding, and storms hits developing countries, as well as poor and marginalised communities within developed countries, worst. These shifting weather patterns cause unpredictable growing seasons, crop failures, and sharp increases in food prices, which all adversely affect those already living in poverty. People in poor countries or those living in poverty in wealthier countries are also much more likely to be displaced by sudden extreme weather disasters.

Hunger is already rising due to climate change. People are being forced from their livelihoods, homes and communities due to climate shocks and persistent climate stress – indigenous peoples being among those at greatest risk of being displaced.

Climate change increases the need for life-saving assistance and protection for those facing humanitarian disasters. Unfortunately, poor countries do not have the resources to respond in adequate measures when faced with natural disasters. In many cases, they also lack the technology for the early detection of natural disasters. Environmental justice is still a long way off.

Wealthy countries must step up to do their fair share to enable the poorest and most vulnerable around the world to build resilience and thrive in the face of a changing climate, not just survive.

Key climate change facts & figures

1%

The world’s richest 1% of the population are responsible for more than twice as much emissions as the poorest 50%.

77%

Europe, North America, Australia and Japan were responsible for 77% of global emissions between 1751-2006.

23

23 rich industrialised countries are responsible for 50% of all historic emissions and more than 150 countries are responsible for the rest.

What are wealthy countries doing to reduce their emissions?

Many European countries have adopted national programs already aimed at reducing emissions.

Similar EU-level policies include:

Increased use of renewable energy (wind, solar biomass) and combined heat and power installations.

Improved energy efficiency in buildings, industry, household appliances.

Reductions of CO2 emissions from new passenger cars.

Abatement measures in the manufacturing industry.

Measures to reduce emissions from landfills.

The US is committed to achieving net-zero by 2050 after President Joe Biden signed an executive order in 2021, directing the federal government to achieve this target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

China has committed to reaching net-zero by 2060, which will require trillions of dollars to be invested in green and low-carbon industries.

Global temperature scenarios with and without SLCP (short-lived climate pollutants, e.g., methane, black carbon, HFCs, and tropospheric ozone) mitigation

Source: CCAC (2017). Notes: In Figure 1, “Reference” refers to business as usual emissions scenarios with different mitigation pathways using early or late action on mitigation of LLGHGs (long-lived greenhouse gases, e.g., carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide) and SLCPs (short-lived climate pollutants, e.g., methane, black carbon, HFCs, and tropospheric ozone). Note that the only scenarios which keep warming less than 2°C, the safe upper limit of warming, are those in which both LLGHGs and SLCPs are reduced. However, the climate-related damage to public health, ecosystems, infrastructure, agriculture and other sectors—impacts likely to hit the poor harder—are likely to be greater if SLCPs are not reduced in near term. This figure implies that early action on both LLGHG and SLCP is the most intelligent path forward to reduce climate risks especially for poor people.