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Blog Post 6 – Brandon Foreman

February 24th, 2017 | Posted by Brandon Foreman in Uncategorized

Blog Post 6

The following quote from Before the Flood really struck me: “What the U.S. is doing to the rest of the world is criminal”. For the first time, I considered the idea that there were winners and losers of climate change. After doing some research, I was unsurprised to confirm rather easily that the average American has a carbon footprint much greater than a resident of any other country in the world; yet, a heavier discussion exists that climate change has disproportionate effects on the poor.

How can this be? There is no single answer that sticks out the most. Damage resulting from natural disasters places the greatest burden on those that do not have the resources to protect themselves nor possess the clout to garner political attention. Rises in temperature will target the world’s poorest farmers in the hottest and driest areas, whose land will no longer be suitable for growing crops. Consequently, food prices will rise; the poorest spend the highest portion of income on food.

What can be done to address this inequality? An obvious answer is to say, “stop climate change”, but certain effects of climate change are already certain. The Red Cross exists, but it only seems to act after disaster has struck. Without money or power, the future seems bleak.  However, it is the people who change institutions. People that band together can create power, and If the poorest in each region unite to share their plight and bring it to the footsteps of their governments, who is to say they will be dismissed?

 

Works Cited:

Bullard, Gabe. “See What Climate Change Means for the World’s Poor.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 23 Feb. 2017, news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151201-datapoints-climate-change-poverty-agriculture/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.

Goldenberg, Suzanne. “Climate Change: the Poor Will Suffer Most.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 30 Mar. 2014, www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/31/climate-change-poor-suffer-most-un-report. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.

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