In the UN 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development (World Economic and Social Survey 2016) the argument is made that building up climate change resilience presents an opportunity for reducing inequalities.
The survey
has focused on population groups that have been disproportionately affected by
climate change and advocates implementation of policies that address this
vulnerability, since poverty and inequality will otherwise drastically
increase.
If the
vulnerability of low income countries (Africa and South and
South-East Asia, small island developing States) to climate change remains unaddressed, many
development goals will not be achieved because the severe impacts will lead to more poverty, inequality and lacking coping capacity. By slowing down
economic growth or causing food insecurity, health problems and displacements,
climate change threatens the livelihoods of the most vulnerable communities and
in consequence makes them even more vulnerable for future disasters (WESS 2016,
7).
In this graph I tried to visualise the interaction between climate change and poverty, vulnerability and inequality.
In this graph I tried to visualise the interaction between climate change and poverty, vulnerability and inequality.
Underlying social, economic and political inequalities (lacking opportunities, lacking access to services, education, employment, discrimination, marginalisation.. ) generate the conditions in which people suffer great losses when hit by climate hazards, because they undermine the capacity to cope and adapt (UN 2016, 8).
Climate impact assessments are
vital to identify how climate hazards threaten vulnerable populations groups.
Transformative Policies must also address root causes of inequality, in order
to break free this vicious cycle of climate vulnerability.
References:
United Nations (2016). Climate Change Resilience: an opportunity for reducing inequalities.
World Economic and Social Survey. New York: United Nations.
