What is Climate Justice?

Climate justice does not mean reaching net zero emissions by 2050; it is about racial justice, gender equality and dismantling oppressive systems.

In 2020, massive locust swarms harmed crops in Africa, wildfires raged across the US and Australia, and India and Bangladesh were hit with intense cyclones. Unsurprisingly, the most impacted in these countries were the poorest and most marginalised communities. According to Oxfam, the world’s richest 1% emit more than double the amount of carbon dioxide compared to the poorest 50%. While they contribute the least to climate change, the poorest countries are the most impacted (by both extreme weather events and slow onset disasters).

Women, particularly in low income countries, are disproportionately impacted. Violence against women soars when natural disasters occur. 80% of climate refugees are women, while they make up only 30% of national and international climate negotiating groups. In many rural villages, women and girls are meant to fetch the water, provide food and take care of people who fall ill. As a result, they face the brunt of the effects of climate change.

Racial disparity and climate injustice are completely linked. Let's take a look at the US, for example. A paper by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies revealed that over 30% of Black residents in New Orleans did not possess cars when Hurricane Katrina hit. This meant it was not possible for them to flee. Additionally, districts that were redlined and primarily POC-populated tend to have less trees, higher average temperatures, and more sidewalks, which can cause fatal heat sicknesses.

Even though POC and women are being hit the hardest, they are a main part of the solution. Women are leading the fight for climate justice across the globe. Climate activism in the media tends to be centred around white people, but this is not the case in real life. We must invest in marginalised communities and pressure policymakers and wealthy countries to support system change.

Written by Anoushka Joshi

Artwork by Delicia