How has globalisation affected inequalities between societies? » Impact of global ecological issues - climate change

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

How climate change relates to global inequality
The concept of climate justice and ecological debt
How developed and developing nations are affected differently
Key case studies of climate change impacts across societies
International responses and agreements to address climate inequality

Climate Change and Global Inequality

Climate change is one of the most significant global ecological issues affecting our planet today. However, its impacts are not felt equally across all societies. This creates a complex relationship between climate change and global inequality.

Key Definitions:

Climate Change: Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, primarily caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels.
Global Inequality: The uneven distribution of resources, wealth and opportunities between different countries and regions of the world.
Climate Justice: The fair treatment of all people and freedom from discrimination with the creation of policies and projects that address climate change.

🌎 The Climate Change Paradox

Countries that have contributed least to climate change often suffer its worst effects. Meanwhile, wealthy nations that have emitted the most greenhouse gases have more resources to adapt and protect themselves.

📈 Carbon Footprint Disparity

The average person in a high-income country produces far more carbon emissions than someone in a low-income country. For example, the average American produces about 15 tonnes of CO₂ annually, while the average Nigerian produces less than 1 tonne.

Climate Change: Different Impacts Across Societies

Climate change affects different societies in vastly different ways, often reinforcing existing inequalities between nations.

Vulnerability of Developing Nations

Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to climate change for several key reasons:

💰 Economic Factors

Limited financial resources to invest in climate adaptation measures like flood defences, drought-resistant agriculture, or early warning systems.

🏠 Geographic Exposure

Many developing nations are located in regions already prone to extreme weather events like hurricanes, flooding and droughts that are intensified by climate change.

🌽 Dependence on Agriculture

Higher reliance on climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, fishing and tourism, making economies more vulnerable to climate disruptions.

Case Study Focus: Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries despite contributing minimally to global carbon emissions. Rising sea levels threaten to displace up to 30 million people by 2050. The country spends nearly $1 billion annually (about 0.8% of its GDP) on climate adaptation, despite being responsible for just 0.3% of global emissions.

The Concept of Ecological Debt

Ecological debt refers to the accumulated environmental damage caused by industrialised countries at the expense of poorer nations. This concept is central to understanding climate inequality.

📅 Historical Emissions

Developed nations have been emitting greenhouse gases at high levels since the Industrial Revolution. The United States and European Union are responsible for over 50% of historical carbon emissions, despite making up less than 15% of the global population.

⚖ Climate Justice Movement

This movement argues that wealthy nations should take greater responsibility for addressing climate change, including providing financial support to help vulnerable countries adapt and transition to cleaner energy sources.

Climate Change and Resource Inequality

Climate change can intensify competition for increasingly scarce resources, creating new forms of inequality between societies.

Water Scarcity

Climate change is altering rainfall patterns and accelerating glacier melt, affecting freshwater availability worldwide. By 2025, half of the world's population could be living in water-stressed areas.

🚰 Water-Rich vs Water-Poor Nations

Countries with abundant water resources (like Canada and Norway) will face less pressure than water-scarce regions (like the Middle East and North Africa). This disparity could lead to increased migration and conflict over water resources.

🌿 Agricultural Impacts

Changing rainfall patterns affect crop yields differently across regions. While some northern regions may benefit from longer growing seasons, tropical and subtropical regions often face decreased yields, threatening food security.

Case Study Focus: Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

Nations like the Maldives, Tuvalu and Kiribati face existential threats from rising sea levels despite contributing negligibly to global emissions. The Maldives, with an average elevation of just 1.5 metres above sea level, could become largely uninhabitable by 2100 if current trends continue. These nations have become powerful voices for climate justice in international forums, arguing that their very survival depends on the actions of larger, wealthier nations.

International Responses to Climate Inequality

Several international agreements and mechanisms have been developed to address the unequal impacts of climate change:

Key International Frameworks

Paris Agreement (2015): Includes the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," recognising that countries have different capabilities and responsibilities for addressing climate change.
Green Climate Fund: Established to help developing countries reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts, with a goal of mobilising $100 billion annually by 2020 (a target that has not been fully met).
Loss and Damage Mechanism: Addresses losses that cannot be avoided through adaptation, such as the permanent loss of land due to sea-level rise.

Climate Migration and Displacement

Climate change is increasingly driving migration, creating new patterns of inequality between and within societies.

🚗 Climate Refugees

The World Bank estimates that by 2050, over 140 million people could be displaced within their countries due to climate impacts. Currently, there is no international legal protection specifically for "climate refugees," creating a significant gap in global governance.

🏢 Urban Pressures

Climate migration often increases pressure on urban areas in developing countries, which may already struggle with inadequate infrastructure and services. This can create new forms of inequality within societies as cities become increasingly divided between secure and vulnerable areas.

Case Study Focus: Climate Inequality Within Nations

Even within countries, climate impacts are often felt unequally. In the United States, Hurricane Katrina disproportionately affected low-income and Black communities in New Orleans, revealing how social vulnerability intersects with climate risk. Similarly, in India, lower-caste and tribal communities often live in areas more exposed to flooding and have fewer resources to recover from climate disasters.

Future Outlook and Solutions

Addressing climate inequality requires action at multiple levels:

Potential Solutions

Climate Finance: Increased funding from developed to developing nations for adaptation and mitigation projects.
Technology Transfer: Sharing clean energy technologies to help developing countries leapfrog fossil fuel dependency.
Local Resilience Building: Supporting community-led adaptation strategies that build on local knowledge.
Just Transition: Ensuring that the shift to low-carbon economies doesn't create new inequalities by supporting affected workers and communities.

Understanding the relationship between climate change and global inequality is essential for developing effective and fair responses to one of the greatest challenges of our time. While climate change affects all nations, its unequal impacts threaten to widen existing gaps between societies unless coordinated global action is taken.

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