The Inequalities of the Climate Crisis
How come the poorest 50% are more affected by the climate crisis than the top 1% that caused it?
I remember the first time I first fully understood the huge problem that is the climate crisis. I was in 6th grade and was watching a video of Hurricane Harvey. It would flood the streets and have winds so strong it would knock down trees. That is when I realized that there had to be more going on to cause a major hurricane after a major hurricane. Every year, it seems that there are more natural disasters than the last, and this is not just a coincidence. The climate crisis is having a major impact on the world, yet not everyone is affected in the same way. Why does it seem that the people who cause it don’t seem to see it?
What is the Climate Crisis?
I’m am pretty sure that everyone has heard about the climate crisis at least once in their life. But, what really is the climate crisis? According to Wikipedia, “Climate crisis is a term describing global warming and climate change, and their consequences. The term has been used to describe the threat of global warming to the planet, and to urge aggressive climate change mitigation.” But, what Wikipedia is forgetting is that climate crisis is more than just a term. The climate crisis is a major issue that is affecting people across the world. The climate crisis is the deterioration of our Earth and how we are making it worse. So, what causes this deterioration?
People, Numbers, and More
In school, I remember learning that the climate crisis is caused by the release of carbon dioxide into the air. We were taught that this causes the greenhouse effect and that the best way to stop this is to walk or bike more places, wash our clothes in cold water, and turn the temperature down a few degrees in the winter. But, there is a lot more to the story than we hear in school. Now don’t get me wrong, the greenhouse effect is a big issue, but there is more that goes into that than carbon dioxide. According to NASA, there are 4 major gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect; water vapor, nitrous oxide, methane, and carbon dioxide. Remember, the greenhouse effect is a natural process that we need to survive, we are just increasing the power. And according to a panel of 1300 scientists, it is 95% likely that the increasing temperatures are our fault.
So, what did we do to cause this? Well, it really starts with the industrial revolution. We started using machines to maximize our power. Now I’m not saying this was a bad thing, it just has had bad effects. Since then, humans have capitalized on the Earth for our own benefit, from mining for oil to using the land for livestock. According to the EPA, our most destructive processes have been agriculture, deforestation, fossil fuel production, and similar activities.
Now we know what causes it, but who is respondsible? Is it everyone? Or are there specific people who created it?
The Culprits
When we look at a large, worldwide scale, it is easy to see who is contributing the most to the crisis. America, UK, Germany, China, and Russia are all big names. They are the top of the world, but also the top of the devastation. Most of the countries having a devastating effect on the crisis are fully developed, economically strong, and densely populated.
But, is everyone in these countries really responsible for this crisis? Well, even though we all have contributed to some point, there are some people who are more responsible than others. According to a study done by Oxfam and the Stockholm Environment Institute, the world’s richest 10% are responsible for 52% of all carbon emissions! 🤯That means that out of 7.8 billion people, only about 780 million people produced half of the emissions. And the top 1%, 70 million people, account for 15% of the emissions! So, clearly, the richest of the rich are the issue. But then why aren’t they doing anything about it?
The Inequalities
A big question that I have always had was why don’t the wealthiest people do something about climate change. Some don’t even believe in it. Despite all the evidence and research, many people don’t believe in it because they don’t have it affect them. Unfortunately, the climate crisis is not fair. Even though the wealthiest people cause it, we see the poorest affected most by it. According to many scientists, the countries most at risk of the climate crisis happen to be the ones that lye in the poorest 50%. These countries are less developed. They don’t have the resources to deal with natural disasters or the technology to combat them.
The climate crisis has many negative effects such as; food insecurity, reduced access to clean water, and increased poverty. In more developed countries, this impact is seen, but rarely impacts most of the people. These countries have access to more food than they need and clean water, and even the impoverished are better off there. But in the poorest 50%, these effects can be extremely destructive.
For one part, they do not have access to protection from climate hazards. In America, I often take for granted how lucky I am to have a warm house with a roof over my head. Many people are not this lucky, which leads them to be exposed to dangers that they cannot survive.
Health can be a big factor. Climate change has been linked to all sorts of health issues such as; malaria, dengue fever, malnutrition, etc. Many of these health issues could be easily treated in countries like the U.S., but not so much in other places. How can people get treated if the nearest health clinic is a 2 day walk? For many people, this can be the most devastating factor because it is an immediate effect. Constant outbreaks strain resources and affect communities in major ways.
Also, many of them already have reduced access to water and food, and recovering from the destruction of these resources can be impossible. When we take this into consideration, the people who contributed the least to the climate crisis end up being the worst off.
So, what can we do?
It’s hard because as much as we can do, it isn’t going to be enough unless the top 10% do it too. Even though we can’t force the climate crisis to be fairer, we can take steps to deal with the crisis and help the people impacted. A big thing is to limit or stop eating meat. Remember, livestock account for 15.5% of carbon dioxide emissions. Maybe, if everyone tries to limit their carbon dioxide emissions we might see a change, but that’s hopeful thinking. The best thing we can do personally is to raise awareness and help support those affected. Find charities to help people and donate after natural disasters. If everyone does this, maybe then we can make a difference and fight this battle.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you! I am a 15-year-old who is interested in regenerative medicine, biocomputing, and public health. If you want to see me continue to grow and 10X myself, sign up for my newsletter here!
