Racial Disparities and Climate Change
Contributors: Aneesh Patnaik, Jiahn Son, Alice Feng, Crystal Ade
Introduction
Climate change disproportionately affects those who suffer from socioeconomic inequalities, including many people of color. As the United States becomes increasingly diverse, understanding how the current crisis impacts people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds is imperative. This article provides a brief overview of the climate challenges faced by communities of color and the steps taken to address the existing disparities.
Environmental Justice and Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
Environmental racism refers to the unequal access to a clean environment and basic environmental resources based on race. Communities of color are disproportionately victimized by environmental hazards and are far more likely to live in areas with heavy pollution. People of color are more likely to die of environmental causes, and more than half of the people who live close to hazardous waste are people of color. Some activists call environmental racism the new Jim Crow as it subjects communities of color to inequitable living conditions. This goes back to beliefs initially perpetuated by the institution of slavery when enslaved Africans were considered “disposable” because they were sent to work in conditions deemed too dangerous for white workers. The authorities in the United States, as well as the institutions in place, often treat areas that are home to minority residents as of less value than wealthy and predominantly white neighborhoods. The burdens of pollution, toxic waste, and poisoned resources are not distributed equally across society.
Environmental Justice
Environmental justice is a social justice movement that seeks to dismantle the flawed environmental policies that have long harmed low-income communities and communities of color, and instead pursue policy and development that work to create a sustainable, cooperative, and equitable future for the environment. It rests on the principle that everyone has a right to a clean and healthy environment, and the environmental justice movement strives to attain that. It also seeks to remedy the ills of environmental racism and to give everyone a liveable future. This movement initially began in the late 1980s, when a report was published (Toxic Waste and Race) that proved communities of color were subject to environmental degradation and dangerous pollution.
2. How are people of color disproportionately affected?
Air Quality
Annually, the United States Oil and Gas Industry releases about 9 million tons of methane gas and other toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. African American and low-income communities are disproportionately affected by air pollution in the United States. For example, more than one million African Americans live within a half-mile of natural gas facilities, over one million African Americans face a “cancer risk above EPA’s level of concern” due to unclean air, and more than 6.7 million African Americans live in the 91 US counties with oil refineries. In total, African Americans are 75% more likely than White people to live in “fence-line” communities (areas near commercial facilities that produce noise, odor, traffic, or emissions that directly affect the population). Additionally, exposure to poor air quality can cause numerous health problems such as asthma. Approximately 13.4% of African American children suffer from asthma as compared to only 7.3% of White children.
Government response to concerns over air quality is also vastly different between communities of different races and ethnicities. From October 2015 to February 2016, the affluent, suburban Los Angeles neighborhood of Porter Ranch experienced the worst reported methane leak in the United States.” Porter Ranch is a predominantly White neighborhood with house prices in the $400,000 range and above. Shortly after the leak, a state of emergency was declared and over 4,000 homes were evacuated. Additionally, the city of Los Angeles ordered the gas company to provide temporary housing for the evacuated individuals. On the other hand, Jefferson Park, a neighborhood in south Los Angeles, is located near an oil drilling site and contains a population that is over 90% African American or Latinx. “The AllenCo drilling site in Jefferson Park...was finally closed in 2013” after EPA officials became sick after investigating the site. However, since the site's opening in 2010 up until its closing, 251 complaints have been filed to the South Coast Air Quality Management by community members. In response, only 15 citations were filed by the agency against AllenCo.
Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification occurs when the natural pH of ocean water is lowered due to increased CO2 levels. The ocean absorbs about 30% of CO2 released into the atmosphere. These molecules then undergo a series of chemical reactions that release a surplus of hydrogen ions, which lowers the pH of the water. Ocean acidification affects natural plant and animal life which can negatively impact humans who rely on the ocean for food, economic, and other purposes. For example, oysters, clams, and scallops accounted for nearly $400 million in the United States, and an increase in ocean acidification can cost the industry nearly $480 million.
These risks are amplified in communities such as coastal Native American tribes, whose diet and economy rely on seafood. For example, the Quinault tribe of Washington own the Quinault Pride Seafood, Land, and Timber Enterprises. The tribe has detailed accounts of an increased number of dead fish washing ashore due to low oxygen levels in the rivers.
Additionally, tourism and hunting in the Arctic are large contributors to the economy and greatly help indigenous communities. The sportfishing industry is affected by ocean acidification, which causes a decline in revenue for indigenous populations.
Natural Disasters
One of the most noticeable effects of climate change is the occurrence of natural disasters. As global temperatures rise, more water vapor is stored in the atmosphere, resulting in more rain and powerful storms. Warmer air, another factor of rising temperatures, also causes faster wind speeds during tropical storms. After a natural disaster hits a community, government aid is typically sent to the area to rebuild infrastructure and restore the city. However, the dispersal of aid is one way in which minorities and low-income communities are hurt by natural disasters.
In a study done by Rice University and the University of Pittsburgh, it was found that white counties saw an increase in average wealth after natural disasters while predominantly minority counties saw a wealth decrease. The study notes that white communities saw higher levels of reinvestment in their communities after natural disasters in comparison to their minority counterparts.
Additionally, it was found that white families in communities with significant damage from natural disasters saw an increase in wealth due to generous reinvestment initiatives. However, minority families in communities with similar damage from natural disasters saw a smaller increase in wealth or they actually saw a decrease in wealth. White families living in areas with about $100,000 in damage saw a wealth increase of about $26,000. White families living in areas with about $10 billion in damages saw a wealth increase of nearly $126,000. Conversely, black families living in areas with about $100,000 in damages saw a wealth increase of $19,000. Black families living in areas with about $10 billion saw a wealth decrease of about $27,000.
Furthermore, low-income Americans are more likely to suffer from the consequences of tropical storms due to inadequate infrastructure and lack of proper insurance. Low-income and minority populations are also more likely to live near industrial facilities and are therefore at a higher risk for chemical spills and toxic leaks resulting from tropical storms. For example, 60% of African Americans in Baltimore live within one mile of a Toxic Release Industry, and 70% percent of African Americans live within two to four miles of one.
3. Why are people of color disproportionately affected?
The impacts of climate change are largely determined by the population's vulnerability and resilience. Hence, they are more likely to be felt disproportionately by those who suffer socioeconomic inequalities. In the United States, people of color are found to be particularly more vulnerable to heatwaves, extreme weather events, environmental degradation, and subsequent labor market dislocations.
Looking back in time, the establishment of slavery is a precursor to more recent discriminatory policies and social, political, and economic inequalities. Lower income level, limited access to education, and poorer health status are found to be more prevalent in African American communities than non-Hispanic white communities. The historical discriminatory practices in housing, education, employment, and healthcare all played a role in the manifestation of these inequalities that contribute to greater vulnerability to climate impacts.
Two critical components of climate vulnerability are pre-existing health status and living conditions. For example, although African Americans make up 13 percent of the US population, a startling 68 percent live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant, compared to 56 percent of Whites. Residents near these plants breathe in the most resultant pollutants, which can cause a range of health problems, from heart attacks to birth defects to asthma. But ultimately in the US, these factors are oftentimes beyond the control of the individual. The economic power, social policies, and political influences differ by place, race, and income as a result of historical disinvestment, discriminatory practices and policies over time, structural racism, higher pollution burdens, and inadequate access to healthcare resources. As communities of color face more challenges brought by climate change, effective policies and programs are thus crucial to improve the current condition.
4. Organizations to bridge the climate gap
As the damage posed by environmental injustice became increasingly evident and alarming, organizations across the nation are working on programs to bridge the gap. Among them, the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program aims to address the many harmful practices that exacerbate climate change along with environmental injustice. They have been working on policies to rectify past injustices, make society more sustainable, and uphold all rights for all people. The Equitable and Just National Climate Platform identifies the desired outcomes and works with its 250+ partner organizations to set priorities for a national climate policy agenda. Another organization, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), has been the leading authority on the Clean Air Act in the past few decades. They used the Act in court against major polluters that have disproportionately impacted low-income communities. Since its inception, the Act has been expanded to cover subjects such as acid rain, while also allowing for regulation of carbon pollution, especially with power plants. In April 2020, the NRDC, along with its partners, sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its non-enforcement policy that allowed polluters to stop monitoring and reporting polluting, after research revealed that long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to “significantly higher death rates from the coronavirus in the United States” and has disproportionately affected low-income communities, communities of color, and indigenous communities.
Locally in New Jersey, Ironbound Community Corporation in Newark has drafted and successfully worked with stakeholders for the passage of an Environmental Justice Ordinance and an Affordable Housing Ordinance, both of which support a healthy community and equitable development. Clean Water Action, a national advocacy group based in D.C., has a state campaign in New Jersey. They work with local communities to combat pollution and fight for a clean environment for all through starting petitions, engaging the public in town halls and conferences, establishing model policies for the environmental justice community, and sharing resources for the public to take action. Recently, they’ve spearheaded the #EJ4NJ project to amplify the voices of those significantly impacted by pollution and environmental injustice. The New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, an alliance of New Jersey-based organizations and individuals, is the only statewide organization in New Jersey that focuses on environmental justice issues and whose leadership and membership are predominately people of color. With its emphasis on amplifying the voices of the most affected individuals, the NJEJA has been successful moving environmental justice issues from the margin to the mainstream of environmental policy discussions. The NJEJA has served the Environmental Justice communities through creating public policy initiatives, supporting beneficial legislation, providing testimony at public hearings on environmental proposals, and educating about environmental justice through articles, essays, studies, and presentations in the past two decades.
Conclusion
People of color are on the front lines of the climate crisis. For decades, the power imbalances have constrained communities of color to respond to the impact of climate change and contribute local knowledge to climate solutions. Building political and economic power, as well as speaking up about the challenges, are critical components of climate resilience. It’s time to expand the conversation around climate justice to ensure that all people, regardless of race and ethnicity, are guaranteed protections from the worst effects of climate change.