Getting to knowEquity in Climate Change
Communities are responsible for infrastructure and service provision to a population with a diversity of abilities, backgrounds, life-experience and culture. Unfortunately, structural systems of oppression, such as racism and colonialism, influence an individual’s overall vulnerability in society.
Changes in climate not only exacerbate these existing inequities, but create conditions for new inequities to emerge, as the effects associated with climate change will not be experienced uniformly.
Vulnerability to the impacts of climate change is determined by the exposure to climate change hazards, the sensitivity to possible impacts, and the capacity to respond to, or cope with them. At the individual level, these three factors are influenced by a multitude of other factors, including, but not limited to: socio-economic status, housing quality, health, and education.
If adaptation efforts are not carefully planned, they may benefit only part of the population, and inadvertently worsen existing inequities. Therefore, effective adaptation measures must be intersectional and equity based. Local governments play a crucial role in addressing the root causes of vulnerability. Before taking action, they should include diverse voices through meaningful engagement with local communities in the adaptation process. Equity-seeking communities may face barriers, such as limited social networks, language obstacles, and insecure residency status, which prevent them from influencing decisions. Local governments should recognize these barriers and address them to ensure sustained collaboration with equity-seeking communities.
Infrastructure projects, such as new and upgraded municipal infrastructure, are an important part of climate adaptation. These projects tend to be big financial investments, have long lifespans, and can have long lasting impacts on surrounding communities – both positive and negative. Embedding equity into these projects from the outset can help ensure that project benefits are maximized and the negative impacts that can’t be eliminated are mitigated.