It is becoming increasingly evident that climate change is rapidly changing the Earth humans inhabit. Places like Guatemala and Indonesia have long periods of drought, followed by flooding that destroys their homes and environment. In the United States, California is experiencing extended fire seasons, while Florida and Louisiana have hurricane after hurricane. As these changes occur, vulnerable communities will face the burden of actions they did not commit. The loss of land through natural disasters, loss of economic opportunities, and health issues will lead to a great migration of climate refugees.
The richest ten percent of the global population produce about half of the fossil fuel emissions, while fifty percent of the poorest population only contribute ten percent. High-income countries in the global north continuously exploit low-income countries in the global south for their resources, creating a large portion of the greenhouse gas emissions; Yet, these high-income countries will not be most impacted by the devastating effect of climate change.
Most countries near the equator will dramatically see a shift in their environment. Climate change puts tropical countries like Bangladesh, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Central America at extreme risk. Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras are now part of what is known as the Dry Corridor of Central America. The UN has stated that the loss of crops is now becoming the second-largest factor for migration from the Dry Corridor especially since in the past five years there has been a significant increase in migration.
Natural disasters like droughts and floods will occur more often in the years to come. Droughts will become longer as rainfall decreases in these areas and the average temperature becomes hotter than in previous years. The increase of tropical storms due to warmer oceans will bring water in a disastrous form, which will have negative impacts on the livelihood of those who live on coasts or islands. Tropical storms and rising sea levels won’t benefit islands that will disappear by the end of the century. The lack of resources in islands like the Philippines will become an obstacle to recovery from flooding, destruction of businesses and homes, and erosion of coasts. These low-income countries will have no other choice than to migrate due to destructive natural disasters.
The change of climate will have an increasing impact on the health of individuals. With temperatures in the tropics rising, there is bound to be an insurgence of mosquitoes, which are transmitters of diseases like malaria and dengue. The humid climates will allow them to develop easier and disperse at a faster rate. The desertification of former agricultural land will in consequence lead to food scarcity due to soil erosion and lack of water that doesn’t allow for communities to harvest crops. Malnutrition because of the lack of food and water will affect the immune systems, the vitamin intake, and the overall health of a person. Their weak immune systems will make them more susceptible to diseases and make it more difficult for the person to recover from illnesses. This will especially put the elderly and children in grave danger.
The issue with climate change is that it creates a domino effect. Farmers see their crops grow, only to turn pale and leave them with no source of income, food, or benefit. The farmer who is not able to harvest loses their only source of income, impacting the family as a whole. The crops are not only used as a source of income, but they are also a way to feed their family, which results in the loss of food supplies. If their whole livelihood depended on agriculture and the land is dry from ten years of an ongoing drought, their only solution might be to migrate to a place that allows them to be able to grow healthy crop fields. It is estimated that about 12.5 percent of the global population might be forced to migrate about 600 miles in order to live in an environment that replicates the environment they used to live in.
This isn’t about focusing on one sole factor, nor is it about focusing on the countries near and below the equator because migration due to climate change will push all low-income communities to migrate at one point or another. Places like the South of Florida or South of Louisiana, where one can see coast erosion due to hurricanes and sea-level rise, will not exist by the end of the century. Although it is all of southern Florida and Louisiana that is being harmed, not all people have the same resources that allow them to recover from a natural disaster. Low-income communities are especially at risk since they are less likely to have the resources to fix the damages done, adapt to the changes of the environment, and modify their buildings to sustain the environmental disasters. Corporations then use this vulnerability to modify apartments and take over the houses that are being left, turning them into green spaces, and raising the prices of rent and property.
Migration is inevitable. There will be refugees migrating by crossing international borders and there will be individuals migrating even if they are not crossing an international border. However, the immigration system is not one that benefits people of color. There has to be a change in mindset on refugees and the negative connotations attached to it. Looking at it from the perspective of the United States, one might state that the worst times are over, and an open-door policy will be implemented to allow refugees to enter; however, previous administrations have shown how much can change in the course of a presidential term.
One can believe that a Democratic president will allow for the entrance of migrants and refugees, but the past has shown that even Democratic presidents create a criminalization of the immigrant. Progressive policies and measures have been followed by conservative policies that promote border enforcement. Politics in the U.S. have led to choosing between the lesser of two evils which have created a voter tendency to vote for someone, not because they align with their policies, but for someone who will not lead to the destruction of their country. As presidential terms continue, there is going to be a backlash to progressive policies defending immigrants and policies, which leave the climate crisis at the end of a long list. One cannot forget that the issues of immigration discrimination and climate change go hand-in-hand. It is up to youth activists, community advocates, and the U.S. in general to apply political pressure and hold the present administrations and administrations to come accountable.