The Unequal Effects of Climate Change in Urban Areas
Cities are a complex web of infrastructure from different corners of the world . Urban infrastructure systems, in particular, are reliant on one another since no city is entirely self-sufficient, and, if one system fails, others may fall in suit. According to the U.S. Global Change Program, with urbanization on the rise and urban populations growing, much of the world’s urban infrastructure is in a state of disrepair.
Only exasperating this strain on the urban infrastructure is the effect that climate change is having on cities. In the U.S. and tropical regions, most cities reside in coastal areas, where climate change has been known to have some of the most deadly impacts. The U.N. Environmental Programme points out that the planet’s warming caused a rise in sea levels. This rise increases “the number of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, storms, and tropical diseases.”
In the next thirty years, we can expect to see a drastic change in climate in many cities around the world. National Geographic predicts that, by 2050, the climates in major cities around the world will swap; for example, London’s climate will be closer to that of Barcelona, Seattle more like San Francisco, Washington D.C. like Nashville, and New York’s winters will look more like Virginia Beach’s. North American cities are even projected to have the climates of cities over 620 miles south of them, and tropical cities should expect to see more drastic increases in precipitation and more extreme droughts.
What does it mean when personnel such as Bill Nye and Neil Degrasse Tyson note that climate change is killing the Earth? According to the U.S. Global Change Program, climate change will affect people differently based on their socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, gender, age, and health. While it is difficult to assess the exact differences in the issues that each group will face, the severity felt by those affected will be unequal in most circumstances depending on their demographics in a given area.
Some problems are more group-specific. For example, the U.S. Global Change Program suggests that the elderly, who often live in relative isolation, are generally more susceptible to heatwave related health issues, as was seen in the 1995 Chicago heatwave. Or, in the event of a blackout caused by a storm surge, higher-income neighborhoods are more likely to have back-up generators to restore their power, while lower-income neighborhoods are left without power.
The future of humanitarian work lies heavily in climate change-related disasters. We can see this already with humanitarian responses to superstorms like Typhoon Haiyan or Hurricane Sandy, and we can expect to see humanitarians set up shop in cities, especially coastal cities, across the globe in the next thirty years.
Written by Alexandra Huelbig, Innovation and Design Intern, Summer 2019
About the IIHA
The Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) prepares current and future aid workers with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively in times of humanitarian crisis and disaster. Our courses are borne of an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines academic theory with the practical experience of seasoned humanitarian professionals. The IIHA also publishes on a wide range of humanitarian topics and regularly hosts a number of events in the New York area, including the annual Humanitarian Blockchain Summit and Design for Humanity Summit.
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