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Climate and Disaster Resilience Glossary

Climate Impacts on Social Injustices

Overview
  • Climate change responses and disaster preparation are often undertaken using a one-size-fits-all model, while diverse needs and impacts are frequently overlooked. This resource provides information on intersection approaches to disaster preparation and highlights distinct perspectives of how disaster disproportionately impacts groups that have been historically marginalised, exacerbating already existing social injustices.

Contents

  • Why is it important to understand climate impacts on social injustices and intersectionality?
  • Envision a world where disaster resilience is truly inclusive and equitable, addressing the unique needs of all individuals, regardless of their background or identity. Currently, our disaster response systems often use a one-size-fits-all approach, which fails to address the specific challenges faced by historically marginalised groups, deepening social inequalities.
  • But we can change this. By adopting intersectional strategies that consider factors such as age, race, gender, and disability, we can ensure that our disaster preparedness and response are fair, inclusive, and effective for everyone. Imagine a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with lived experiences of marginalisation and discrimination, policymakers, and experts work together to build comprehensive and inclusive disaster resilience. This collaborative approach will create a system that is not only just and culturally sensitive but also strengthens the capacity of all communities to face and recover from disasters.
  • Note: although intersectionality explicitly explores the power dynamics between multiple systems of discrimination, this section of the toolkit highlights the impacts of particular systems individually to focus on specific aspects of marginalisation. As intersectionality is not additive but rather dynamic and contextual, experiences for, say, a white disabled woman would not be comparable to a black disabled woman or a white, able-bodied woman. In each case, an intersectional approach to the topic is vital.

 

Intersectionality in Climate Justice and Disaster Resilience

Disaster experts, policymakers, community organisations and those working in disaster response need to understand the systems that result in some people facing more challenges than others through climate change and before, during, and after disasters. Using intersectional approaches helps analyse and challenge discriminatory practices that affect groups that have been and continue to be systematically marginalised. Intersectionality involves understanding how discrimination based on different factors like age, race, sexuality, gender, and disability, as well as conditions like housing, immigration, and marital status, combine to affect people’s experiences and socioeconomic outcomes. Studies in disaster research show the benefits of using intersection approaches to understand how past discrimination and root causes of marginalisation lead to different risks for different communities. Understanding intersecting oppressive systems can highlight how people’s abilities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters vary. However, these intersectional methods are not used enough in disaster studies and sometimes are not applied deeply. To really make a difference,  it is important to move beyond simple views, pay equal attention to different factors, and challenge Western ways of thinking. This will help break down systematic privilege, power, and oppression that result in inequitable experiences and outcomes in disasters.

(Source: Intersectionality as a Forward-Thinking Approach in Disaster Research)

To find out more about Intersectionality and Climate Justice, visit the toolkit resource: Intersectionality and Climate Justice 

 

 

1. Climate Change, Disaster and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Indigenous Peoples

Climate change and disasters disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, reflecting systemic oppressions such as colonialism, environmental racism, and inadequate infrastructure. As climate change intensifies, these impacts are exacerbated, leading to increased risks of displacement, loss of traditional lands, and cultural disruptions and risks to the social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples..

 

 

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2. Climate Change, Disaster and Disability Justice

The intersection of disability, climate change, and disasters underscores the compounded impacts stemming from systemic oppressions such as ableism, environmental injustice, and socio-economic disparities. Embracing a collaborative and co-design approach to preparedness is crucial, wherein the diverse experiences and needs of individuals with disabilities inform inclusive strategies that mitigate risks, enhance resilience, and promote equitable outcomes in the face of climate-related disasters.

According to Having a Seat at the Table: disaster and disability, individuals with disabilities face greater risks during fires and other emergencies due to a lack of accessible information relating to fire safety, disaster impacts and prevention. Learning from the real-life experiences of those with disabilities in these situations can significantly influence the way emergency services prepare and react and improve efficient preparation and response to such crises.

‘Collaborating 4 Inclusion’ runs a variety of projects and has several resources available on its website.

Webinar Video: National Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) Forum 2023

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Stories:

 

 

3. Climate Change, Disaster Children and Youth

Climate Change and disasters expose children and youth to profound risks, which can be compounded when they are exposed to systemic inequalities such as poverty. These injustices exacerbate existing challenges such as disrupted education, loss of caregivers, and heightened exposure to trauma, magnifying the impact of disasters on their physical and psychological well-being. By engaging educators, child welfare advocates, and youth representatives in the co-design of preparedness initiatives, we can ensure that responses are child-centred, trauma-informed, and inclusive, ultimately safeguarding their health and development in the face of disasters.

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4. Climate Change, Disaster and Older People

Older adults confront distinct challenges in the context of climate change and disasters through ageism, economic inequality, and lack of accessibility. These structural barriers exacerbate physical, cognitive, and socioeconomic factors, heightening the impacts of disasters on older individuals. As the global population ages, a collaborative and co-design approach to preparedness is imperative for developing inclusive strategies that address their needs. By engaging senior experts, community organisations, and older adults themselves in the co-design of preparedness initiatives, we can ensure that responses are age-sensitive, culturally competent, and responsive to the diverse needs of older populations, ultimately enhancing their resilience and well-being in disaster contexts.

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5. Climate Change, Disaster, Climate Load and Women

Women bear a disproportionate burden in the face of climate change, a consequence of entrenched systems of oppression such as patriarchy, sexism, and gender-based discrimination. These systemic injustices exacerbate pre-existing gender inequalities, exposing women to increased risks of gender-based violence, economic hardships, and limited access to resources during disasters.

 

 

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6. Climate Change, Disaster, and Culturally and Racially Marginalised Groups (CARM)

Culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) communities face disproportionate impacts from climate change and disasters, driven by systemic oppressions such as xenophobia, environmental racism, cultural marginalisation, and historical injustices. These challenges are exacerbated by language barriers, cultural differences, and inequitable resource distribution, resulting in heightened risks of displacement, health disparities, and economic losses.

A collaborative, co-design approach to disaster preparedness is essential for addressing these inequities. Through partnering with CARM communities, cultural leaders, advocacy organisations, and policymakers, preparedness initiatives can become more inclusive and tailored to their specific needs. This process ensures that responses are culturally competent, linguistically accessible, and reflective of diverse lived experiences. Such efforts strengthen resilience while working to dismantle systemic injustices embedded within disaster management frameworks.

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7. Climate Change, Disaster and Incarceration

Climate change and disasters amplify the injustices within correctional systems, disproportionately affecting incarcerated individuals who are frequently already marginalised by systems of oppression such as institutional racism, ableism and socioeconomic disparities. These disasters exacerbate negative experiences within correctional facilities, hindering access to crucial resources and services, further compounding the challenges faced by incarcerated populations.

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8. Climate Change, Disaster, Poverty and Economic Inequity

Climate change, disasters, poverty, and inequity are intricately linked to systemic oppressions that perpetuate social and economic injustices, including racism, colonialism, and socioeconomic disparities. These historical and ongoing structures of oppression create challenges for marginalised communities, exacerbating their risks during disasters.

 

 

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* Please see note on the usage of the term ‘vulnerable’ people and communities in the Terminologies and Glossary.

 

 

 

9. Climate Change, Disaster and Homelessness

Climate change and disaster exacerbate the intersectional predicaments faced by individuals experiencing homelessness, perpetuated by systemic oppressions such as poverty, gendered violence, ableism, transphobia, housing discrimination, and inadequate social support systems. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, individuals experiencing homelessness are at heightened risk of displacement, exposure to harsh weather conditions, and limited access to shelter and resources.

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10. Climate Change, Disaster and Public Housing

Climate change and disaster exacerbate the exposure to risk for public housing residents, rooted in systemic oppressions such as economic inequality, racial discrimination, ageism, ableism, sexism, transphobia and inadequate infrastructure. As extreme weather events intensify, residents of public housing face increased risks of displacement, property damage, and health impacts, particularly during heat waves when insufficient insulation or lack of air conditioning heightens the risk of heat-related illnesses and fatalities.

 

 

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(Source: Stuck in the Heat: Lived Experiences of Public Housing Tenants in the Kimberley) 

 

 

(Source: Stuck in the Heat: Lived Experiences of Public Housing Tenants in the Kimberley) 

 

 

 

11. Climate Change, Disaster and LGBTIQ+

Climate change and disasters intersect with systemic oppressions faced by LGBTIQ+ communities, stemming from patriarchal norms, heteronormativity, discrimination, cisnormativity, transphobia, biphobia, homophobia and interphobia. As climate change exacerbates the frequency and severity of disasters, marginalised groups face increased risks that stem from intersecting oppressions. For instance, queerphobia and transphobia disproportionately lead to homelessness among LGBTIQ+ youth, leaving them more vulnerable to displacement, violence, and other climate-related impacts. Trans women of colour are particularly at risk, often experiencing heightened levels of intimate partner violence (IPV), public violence, and systemic barriers to accessing health services or assistance due to the combined effects of racism, sexism, and transphobia (misogynoir and transmisogyny).

These realities underscore the urgent need for inclusive disaster preparedness and response strategies. Adopting a collaborative and co-design method is essential, involving gender and LGBTIQ+ communities, advocacy organisations, and policymakers in crafting inclusive strategies tailored to their distinct needs.

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12. Climate Change, Disaster and Rural Communities

Climate change compounds the risk exposure of rural communities, exacerbated by systemic oppressions such as economic inequality, lack of infrastructure, and limited access to resources. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, rural communities face heightened risks of agricultural loss, infrastructure damage, and isolation, highlighting the urgent need for inclusive disaster preparedness and response strategies.

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* Please see note on the usage of the term ‘vulnerable’ people and communities in the Terminologies and Glossary.

 

 

 

 

13. Climate Change, Disaster and Mental Illness

Climate change exacerbates the challenges faced by individuals with mental illness, compounded by systemic oppressions such as stigma, limited access to healthcare, and socioeconomic disparities. As extreme weather events and environmental disruptions intensify, individuals with mental illness are likely to experience heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and trauma, underscoring the critical need for inclusive disaster preparedness and response strategies.

Resources:

(Source: The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing: A Narrative Review of Current Evidence, and its Implications)

 

 

 

14. Climate Change, Disaster and Parenting

Climate change exacerbates the challenges faced by mothers and birthing parents, influenced by systemic oppressions such as gender inequality, lack of access to resources, and limited social support structures. As climate-related disasters intensify, mothers experience increased risks to their physical and mental health, as well as challenges in providing care and ensuring the safety of their families, highlighting the urgent need for inclusive disaster preparedness and response strategies. Additionally, they confront the heightened risk of reproductive health issues and violence, emphasising the need for specialised disaster relief teams with expertise in maternal health.

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