"Climate change and poverty are deeply intertwined because climate change disproportionally affects poor people in low-income communities and developing countries around the world."
Exploration of the relationship between social work, environmental sustainability, and community development, with a focus on addressing the effects of climate change, natural disasters, and environmental degradation on vulnerable populations.
Climate change: The study of the Earth's changing climate patterns caused by human activity and their impact on the environment.
Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms in an ecosystem and the changes taking place in their natural habitats.
Pollution: The contamination of the environment by toxic substances released by human activities.
Renewable energy: The use of sustainable sources like wind, water, and solar energy for generating power without causing carbon emissions.
Water management: The conservation and protection of fresh water resources, groundwater systems, and ecosystems.
Waste management: The practices required to handle, manage, and dispose of waste materials in an environmentally-friendly manner.
Sustainable agriculture: The method of farming that helps maintain soil health, reduces pollution, conserves water usage, and improves farmland biodiversity.
Environmental justice: The study of social and structural inequalities that result in the disproportionate distribution of environmental hazards and health risks among socially marginalized groups.
Genetic engineering: The use of biotechnology to manipulate genes and improve plant and animal breeding.
Conservation biology: The study of preserving natural environments and biodiversity.
Greenhouse gas emissions: The gases responsible for trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere and causing climate change.
Natural resource management: The sustainable use and management of natural resources like forests, minerals, and fisheries.
Sustainability: The concept of meeting the needs of the present population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Environmental ethics: The study of human moral obligations and values to protect the environment.
Wildlife conservation: The protection and preservation of endangered species, habitats, and ecosystems.
Climate Change: A long-term shift in average weather patterns and temperatures, often caused by human activity, leading to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and ecosystem disruptions.
Pollution: The release of harmful substances or contaminants into the environment, including air, water, and soil pollution, resulting from human activity and industrial processes.
Deforestation: The clearing of forests and woodland to create space for agriculture, grazing, logging, and urbanization, leading to habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, and soil erosion.
Biodiversity loss: The decline and extinction of plant and animal species and the destruction of ecosystems, often caused by habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
Overexploitation of natural resources: The unsustainable extraction, overfishing, and depletion of natural resources, including minerals, water, and fish stocks, in ways that deplete ecosystems and species.
Land Use: The conversion of natural ecosystems to human landscapes through urbanization, agriculture, and other human activities, often resulting in habitat fragmentation, deforestation, and soil erosion.
Desertification: The process of land becoming increasingly arid, resulting in the loss of vegetation, soil, and water, often caused by overpopulation, overgrazing, deforestation, and climate change.
Overpopulation: The rate at which the human population is increasing, placing a strain on resources, ecosystems, and infrastructure, and contributing to environmental problems such as pollution and climate change.
Water Scarcity: A lack of sufficient water resources to meet the needs of human populations, agriculture, and industry, often caused by drought, climate change, and overconsumption.
Ozone Depletion: The thinning of the earth’s ozone layer, causing increased amounts of ultraviolet radiation to enter the atmosphere, and health effects, including skin cancer and damage to wildlife.
Energy Consumption: The increasing global demand for energy, leading to greenhouse gas emissions, the depletion of natural resources, and environmental degradation.
Ocean Acidification: The process of seawater becoming more acidic due to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, resulting in coral bleaching, the destruction of marine habitats, and the loss of fisheries.
Global Warming: A gradual increase in the earth's average surface temperature, caused by the greenhouse effect, and resulting in melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and ecosystem changes.
Waste Management: The management and disposal of waste products, including household waste, hazardous waste, and industrial waste, resulting in environmental degradation and health risks.
"The impoverished have a higher chance of experiencing the ill-effects of climate change due to the increased exposure and vulnerability."
"Vulnerability represents the degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change including climate variability and extremes."
"Climate change highly exacerbates existing inequalities through its effects on health, the economy, and human rights."
"Low-income individuals and communities are more exposed to environmental hazards and pollution and have a harder time recovering from the impacts of climate change."
"For example, it takes longer for low-income communities to be rebuilt after natural disasters."
"Developing countries suffer 99% of the casualties attributable to climate change."
"The 50 least developed countries of the world account for a 1% contribution to the worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases, which are a byproduct of global warming."
"92% of accumulated greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to countries from the Global North."
"Countries from the Global South bear the heaviest consequences of increasing global temperature."
"Climate and distributive justice questions are central to climate change policy options."
"Many policy tools can be employed to solve environmental problems such as cost-benefit analysis."
"Policy tools usually do not deal with such issues because they often ignore questions of just distribution."
"Climate change highly exacerbates existing inequalities through its effects on health, the economy, and human rights."
"The IPCC's report found that low-income individuals and communities are more exposed to environmental hazards and pollution and have a harder time recovering from the impacts of climate change."
"92% of accumulated greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to countries from the Global North, which comprise 19% of the global population, while 8% of emissions are attributed to countries from the Global South."
"Developing countries suffer 99% of the casualties attributable to climate change."