Vulnerable Groups Amid Climate Change “The poor, the vulnerable, and the hungry are facing the harsh reality of climate change in their daily lives. To put it bluntly, the world’s poor are being harmed by problems they did not create.” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Climate change is a significant factor affecting all sectors of society, particularly vulnerable groups who face greater climate risk than the general population. Therefore, climate justice must be considered, which requires equity and human rights to be central to decision-making and actions regarding climate change.
“Some groups face greater threats” amid climate change that affects human health in complex and diverse ways. Key factors that cause varying impacts depend on vulnerability, social, economic, geographical factors, and individual differences. Particularly those constrained by poverty face increased threats.
The impact of climate change on health involves the interconnection between hazard risk, vulnerability, and exposure that affects health. Various factors such as age, gender, access to services, social and economic status, as well as health systems contribute to two types of impacts: health impacts such as illness from epidemics, migration, and conflict; and system impacts such as burden on health systems, food systems, and livelihood systems. Therefore, reducing vulnerability and risk is crucial to help mitigate the holistic impact of climate change on health.
The impact of climate change on mental health requires consideration of various multi-level factors, as they are interconnected and influence each other as follows:
1. Hazard divided into two types: acute events such as storms, floods, wildfires, and severe heat waves; and long-term changes such as drought, rising sea levels, and climate change)
2. Vulnerability comprises physical and social factors such as pre-existing health conditions, social and economic inequality, gender, age, and occupation
3. Exposure including direct exposure such as being affected by extreme weather events, indirect exposure such as displacement or changes in livelihood systems, and perceived exposure such as from media or observing others’ experiences
4. Response at institutional level such as developing effective mental health systems and disaster response measures, at community level such as social support networks and accessible information channels, and at individual level such as preparedness, receiving mental health support, and using nature-based therapy
5. Mental health risks which encompass psychiatric disorders, stress, and reduced social relationships
Therefore, managing the impact of climate change on health must be considered from multiple dimensions, including climate change, vulnerability, exposure, and response at institutional, community, and individual levels to reduce health risks, enable planning, and implement effective responses to climate change impacts. This will lead to sustainable and equitable development in the long term.
“Climate change is undermining progress in fundamental rights of people including the right to health, food, water, housing, and property, as well as rights related to livelihood and culture are all affected. Our challenge is to build accountable responsibility for human rights into future climate change solutions. Doing so will help us better understand who faces the greatest risks and how we should protect them.” – Mary Robinson 2009
Strategy and International Cooperation Coordination Division
National Economic and Social Development Council
References
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2555). Climate Justice for a Changing World: Fundamental Issues for Policymakers and Civil Society. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/th/UNDP_TH_Climate-Justice.pdf
United Nations Development Programme Thailand. (2566). Climate Dictionary: A Guide to Climate Change Terminology. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org/thailand/blog/climate-dictionary
IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. (2565). Health, Wellbeing and the Changing Structure of Communities. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/chapter/chapter-7/
Building New Cities to be Climate Resilient. Retrieved from https://tdri.or.th/2024/10/tdri-ac-2024-session3/
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