Climate Justice: The Connection Between Combatting Climate Change and Social Justice

Climate justice, in the context of the current climate crisis, refers to the intersection of social and environmental justice to address the causes of vulnerability and limited adaptability to the effects of climate change. The internationally recognized definition of climate justice does not reflect the reality of many communities in America, Africa and its diaspora, as it fails to acknowledge the historical backdrop of social and racial injustice. Climate extremes caused by anthropogenic climate change are only increasing inequity in many communities in the United States and around the world. Those living in vulnerable areas such as coastal zones and flood plains are expected to experience greater hardship from climate change, with climate extremes including inland and coastal flooding, wildfires, heat stress, poor air quality, sea level rise, and severe weather. Recovery will be challenging for persons of color (POC) in the United States and those living in the Global South who are directly impacted by inequity and have less access to resources. Climate justice, through the lens of racial and environmental injustice, provides the foundation for an inclusive movement that needs to extend beyond city, county, state, and national boundaries to address social and environmental justice within the context of the 21st century’s global climate crisis.