Special Dossier : Social Inequalities and Climate Change

On a global scale, developing countries are more affected by climate change, although they contribute less to the problem. Conversely, rich countries emit the most greenhouse gases (GHGs), but suffer fewer consequences. For example, the archipelagos of Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Maldives are very low emitters, but face a major risk of coastal submergence. 
This dynamic of unequal contribution can also be observed at the individual level. In Quebec, household carbon footprints vary considerably from one household to another. The Institut de Statistique du Québec has shown that the GHG emissions by the most affluent households are at least three times higher than those of the least affluent. 
 
 

Policies for mitigating and adapting to climate change must take inequalities at both international and regional level into account, ensuring that actions and funding are fairly distributed. However, these policies can sometimes be inequitable, excluding certain populations and leading to maladaptation.

Current and future generations are and will be much more exposed to the effects of climate change compared to previous generations. They will also have fewer resources for coping with it. 
It’s important for decision-makers to recognize that past and present greenhouse gas emissions and policies impose unavoidable costs and repercussions on future generations. This type of inequality is based on the principle of responsibility—a concept which implies taking the impacts on the environment and future generations into account when making decisions.
 

Under the influence of complex geopolitical and socio-economic mechanisms, some countries are more sensitive to the harmful impacts of climate change. Some countries may also be more exposed to certain climate phenomena, such as floods, droughts and forest fires, due to their geographical location and initial climate. 

At the population level, certain categories of people are more vulnerable to climate change than others.

 

The concept of inequality is intrinsically tied to notions of justice and law. It suggests that individuals should have equitable access to certain rights, such as the right to safety, the right to a healthy environment, the right to health, and so on. 
Moreover, all social groups within a given society should be equally involved in decision-making on climate change, so that their needs are taken into account as much as possible.