Who Does Climate Change Affect?

The effects of climate change are not limited to one country, continent, or socio-economic status. The effects of climate change are indiscriminate and fluid in the sense that while one stakeholder may get some benefits from climate change, they can also experience challenges at the same time.

While climate change does affect the whole world, it cannot be denied that lower-income communities, regions, and countries will suffer disproportionately in comparison to their more affluent counterparts. For example, while both Canada and Vanuatu will experience rising ocean levels firsthand, Canada is in a better position to mitigate the hardship incurred by its citizens due to its strong economic, industrial, and logistical capacity.

Here you can see a fisherman in the Kyiv water reservoir surrounded by harmful cyanobacteria which has been caused by climate change. See more impressive pictures of the impact climate change has had on the natural environment on the CBS News page linked HERE.

Due to climate change and the subsequent melting of the arctic, the once impassable Northwest Passage in Canada's Arctic is now increasingly accessible by cargo ships without icebreaker assistance required. This route will shorten significantly shorten trade routes (therefore greenhouse gas emissions as well) between the Far East and Europe. That said, the irony cannot be lost that such benefits have only been made possible at the expense of the planet.

Climate change is now a serious aggravating factor when looking at what pushes people to engage in terrorism. For example, tensions between herders and farmers in Mali and the dwindling amount of resources have been used by various actors to co-opt individuals to join terrorist organizations.

Kenya is currently facing an extreme drought which has not only led to food insecurity but also a substantial increase in violence. Learn more by watching this segment on PBS.

Climate change has led to water scarcity throughout the globe thereby inviting the intense commodification of water. In Australia, while farmers struggle to secure water for their farms, speculators on the stock market profit by restricting access to water.

If you're interested in this topic, watch the documentary titled "Lords of Water" below to learn more about climate change, water scarcity, and the subsequent privatization of water. Unfortunately, a VPN for Australia is required and there is a cost but it is very interesting.

Increasing water insecurity has been found to increase rates of diarrhea around the world. It is expected that every degree of warming will contribute to an 8% increase in E. coli-caused diarrhea. For perspective, by 2035, Bangladesh is expected to have 800,000 more cases of diarrhea annually.

It is important to remember that while diarrhea may simply be a nuisance in countries like Canada, diarrhea is responsible for the death of over 1.6 million people a year, over a third of which are children.