The impact of climate change on the world is increasing day by day, and it is affecting every corner of the globe. But doesn’t have the same effect on everyone. People with other difficulties, like lack of access to quality, food, health, and other economic factors, are suffering more from climate change. Marginalized people and minority communities are affected more than any other people by climate change. Low-income families, racial and ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, and those living in developing nations are affected most by climate change because of the lack of economies and resources to resist it as compared to the developed and economically rich regions, which have more resources to deal with climate change.
Poor people have fewer resources to deal with climate change. It affects their way of life. Climate changes affect their economy. For example, in the fields of fisheries and agriculture, climate changes affect their economy, but they do not have enough modern techniques to deal with that change and consequently suffer a great loss. Also, poor labor is affected by the heat and no very cold weather, so they can’t go to work for their living. In short, climate change affects poor and less modern people more in their economies as compared to people who have more resources to deal with, i.e., soil conservation techniques, climate water management, CSA, MPAs, aquaculture development, etc.
Poor people can’t survive in excessive heat because they do not have a good shelter or modern technology like other people who use air conditioners and many other sources to deal with heat. This heat has caused the deaths of many people in many regions, like Hong Kong, Pakistan, and other developing cities or nations. In short, they have fewer health related facilities to deal with. Even many regions of the world do not have proper hospitals to deal with such patients. It is difficult for a poor person or a person who is living in an underdeveloped country or region to survive a health related issue caused by climate change.
Those people who are living in areas with environmental hazards are affected more. People who used to live in coastal areas, near glaciers, and in excessively hot regions feel that climate change affects them more, and they are facing extra difficulties and other issues regarding climate change. They have greater exposure to environmental hazards. Usually, these people are also weak in their economies.
Systematic and racially discriminated-affected people have less power and political representation, so they do not have the need or facilities to deal with the environmental hazards caused by the climatic changes. The government and state have less focus on them, and even after their great loss, they are treated brutally. So the people who are poor have fewer facilities, and those who are more exposed to environmental hazards suffer more than others. For example, if a flood breaks out, it will affect the coastal areas and completely wash away all the weak shelter, and those faraway regions will not suffer. People with a weaker economy have to recover themselves with difficulty. Rich people may have insurance and a strong shelter, but they might get a little bit damaged. If poor people have health issues and fewer facilities, the loss will be greater.
These people need equity with others by the government and organizations; they need social justice and economic equity; there should be a proper environmental hazard management system and early warnings in more exposed areas; and the poor people should be funded by the government or organizations to deal with such a climate change issue. Proper hospitals, health care systems, and the government should help with the construction of their houses to deal with the economic loss. As well, other countries and organizations should help and fund the underdeveloped and developing nations to overcome the challenges of climate change in the world.
The Author, Ilsa Azhar, as a student of International Relations, specialize in analyzing intricate relationships between state actors and non-state actors, particularly within the context of global security challenges, aiming to contribute nuanced perspectives to the field.
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