If humanity is going to effectively tackle climate change, scientists and activists told me, it’s a question we have to answer. ADRacism is “inexorably” linked to climate change, said Penn State meteorologist Gregory Jenkins, because it dictates who benefits from activities that produce planet-warming gases and who suffers most from the consequences. In a course he teaches called “Climate Change, Climate Justice and Front Line Communities,” Jenkins traces this connection from slavery, which created the economic foundation for the industrial revolution, to modern-day policies that influence where people live and environmental risks to which they are exposed. ADRacial inequality also means that the people most at risk from climate change have the fewest resources to cope. AD“Climate change is the most immediate threat for the marginalized people of this country and of the world,” Newsome said.

Source: Washington Post June 29, 2020 15:00 UTC