What is climate justice?

What is climate justice?

The climate crisis is affecting every country on every continent. But it doesn’t affect everyone equally — nor is everyone equally responsible. For example, a farmer in Bangladesh emits few greenhouse gases, yet must cope with the extreme weather that devastates her land and livestock year after year.

Climate justice means recognizing that those who contribute least to carbon emissions are paying the highest cost. It also means holding responsible the countries, corporations, and people driving our climate crisis. Marginalized communities and organizations serving them in the U.S. and around the world are leading efforts to protect themselves against the escalating impacts of climate change. We must support them.

What is climate injustice?

Climate injustice means the world’s poorest countries and communities are paying the price of a climate crisis they are least responsible for. The richest people, corporations, and countries driving climate change aren’t experiencing the impacts of extreme weather anywhere near the levels faced by people living in marginalized and climate-vulnerable communities.

In 2019, the richest among us were responsible for more carbon emissions than 5 billion people—the equivalent of 66 percent of humanity, according to Oxfam’s research. To be more specific, it is wealthy polluters—rich industrialized countries and in particular carbon billionaires—that are driving staggering levels of emissions.

These polluters have a responsibility to cut their emissions and pay for the costs of reducing emissions (such as the transition to renewable energy), supporting the practical and financial needs of those experiencing its harshest impacts.