Climate change has been a real problem in the world for longer than many people think. The issues of climate change have only just been aired to the public in a sense of emergency in the last few years. The issues of climate change that people normally see are the effects of it on animals/ wildlife, and the poles of the Earth. No one really talks about how humans are affected by it though. Many people do not think that people can really be the ones being affected, rather, they are the ones causing the problem. Climate change can cause a number of issues in humans like increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease, injuries, and premature deaths related to extreme weather events. While these events affect humans as a whole, those of lower income and who have fewer resources suffer the most. In many cases, they do not have another place to go if their home gets destroyed or even money to pay for healthcare due to the diseases caused by the issue.
Climate change caused by human action is a form of oppression. Those who are traditionally defined as “oppressed” are those who come from lower income communities with limited resources and funds for things other than necessities. The fact that climate change is mostly caused by big companies who have loads of money and no regard for others adds to the oppression factor. Many of the people who are affected have no way to prevent being affected by the pollution and overall damage to their world around them. They cannot change how they live to make their use of the Earth better for themselves due to the extensive damage being caused.
Natural climate change would not be a form of oppression because it is not being activated by human action, but occuring due to natural changes in the environment. Although the affects of natural climate change can still be very harsh, there is nothing you can do to prevent it and it is not nearly as bad as what we are experiencing today.
