Climate justice and social justice are two sides of the same coin. Addressing both is essential to building a more just and sustainable future for all. Climate justice is rooted in the recognition that climate change is causing many harmful social, economic, health and other impacts on vulnerable communities that contribute the least to the climate crisis. In other words, the climate crisis is exacerbating existing inequalities and injustices.
Low-income countries, people of color, indigenous peoples, women and people with disabilities are more exposed to the devastating impacts of climate disasters such as floods, wildfires, severe droughts and rising temperatures, sea level rise and limited access. Masu. food and water. Majorities in this world are marginalized and made more vulnerable by powerful systems of oppression, but they also have no access to the financial resources and institutional capacity to adapt to climate change or recover from the loss and damage it causes. I can’t do that either.
The cost of loss and damage is estimated to be between US$290 billion and US$580 billion per year by 2030, much of which unfortunately will be borne by developing and least developed countries.
Why climate justice matters
Why does climate justice matter? It matters because it forces the international community and those most responsible for the climate crisis to work with and support those who are bearing the brunt of it. be. It’s important because it addresses the more systemic problems that are the root causes of this crisis and many others. The problem is an economic model based on extractivism and greed that is causing a global crisis and exacerbating social injustice around the world.
The whole world, especially the Middle East and North Africa region where I live, is suffering from multiple crises triggered by conflicts, pandemics, social and economic problems, deterioration of living conditions, and catastrophic disasters. , Western oil giants, especially some of the biggest contributors to the global climate crisis, more than doubled their profits to $219 billion in 2022.
MENA is the world’s most water-scarce region and is already warming twice as fast as the global average. Vulnerable communities are currently suffering the effects of climate change disproportionately compared to other parts of the world, whether they live in deserts or by the ocean, in mountains or in lush valleys.
The region faces scorching temperatures that pose a direct risk to human health, as well as longer and more severe droughts that severely impact agriculture and food security. Frequent climate-related disasters are significantly increasing social inequalities and undermining social justice. Lives are lost, homes are destroyed, crops fail, livelihoods are at risk, and cultural heritage is lost.
testify
At Greenpeace MENA, we have witnessed and documented how climate change is endangering the entire region’s ecosystems, civilizations, people and heritage. In Morocco, oasis ecosystems are becoming increasingly dry and disappearing, threatening the traditional nomadic lifestyle of indigenous peoples who depend on them. Research shows that olive trees and olive oil production from Egypt to Lebanon are being significantly affected by rising temperatures. The threat of flooding along the Mediterranean coast is becoming increasingly urgent. For Awari women living in the wetlands of southern Iraq, crop failures and limited access to water due to climate change are making it difficult for them to raise children, earn a living, and support their families, creating a cycle of poverty and inequality. They are the first victims of this perpetuation.
Time and again, we see that the communities most vulnerable to these impacts are also the least resilient from a socio-economic perspective. Climate justice is essential to addressing social justice.
make polluters pay
Achieving both climate and social justice requires addressing the historical and ongoing injustices that have contributed to the current climate crisis and empowering local communities to participate in climate decision-making processes. is needed. This requires recognizing that historically polluting countries and industries are responsible for the crisis facing the world, and that the countries that contributed the least to the problem are currently suffering the most.
It starts with holding companies and countries that pollute the environment accountable and demanding they pay for the damage they have caused and continue to cause.
Fossil fuels account for over 75% of global GHG emissions and over 90% of CO2 emissions. There can be no climate justice without a just phase-out of all fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas). The only way to achieve a sustainable and resilient world, and the social and climate justice we all need, is to quickly move away from dependence on fossil energy and prioritize people over profit and extractivism. and adopting alternative economic models that emphasize sustainability.
By prioritizing climate justice, we can achieve social justice and build a more just and sustainable future for all. This is why climate justice matters.
Act now to end fossil fuel crime and make polluters pay.
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Giwa Nakat is the Director of Greenpeace Middle East and North Africa.