Are Humans Opressive?

Climate change in itself, is not oppressive; but humans are. Just as humans have little to no regard for the internet as we continually destroy the plant and over use all its resources, we also have little to no concern with other human beings and their well being. The climate justice movement is a prime example of movements sparked to combat the inequitable distribution of climate crisis in poorer neighborhoods and neighborhoods of color. 

Although climate change affects the whole world no matter who you are, when it comes to humans contributing to climate change the communities that see the worst and most harmful elements contributing to climate change whether it is oil plants or contaminated waters, it is not everyone who is seeing those effects but communities that rarely see the greatest barriers. In addition, it is usually communities that have the lowest carbon footprints and are responsible for the least carbon emissions that are facing the most harmful effects. These communities aren;t the people that won the big oil and gas companies, or the factories polluting the air, in fact they are the ones that are facing the sicknesses due to low air quality from these factroes and the effects of oil spills that these companies cause. 

When climate change does affect communities and we see those adverse effects like powerful storms, droughts, floods, wildfires, living in food deserts and other climate changes, low-income communities, people of color, indigenous people, people with disabilities, older or very young people, have the most challenges to covering and having the resources to handle the impacts. The government and those who are powerful not only contribute to climate change, but continue to keep these communities in poverty and oppressed through displacement and oppressive policies that ensure these are the communities stuck in the cycle of poverty. So although climate change is not oppressive, the effects inherently are because of human involvement.

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