Article East Bay Express

Climate Change Will Impact the Poor

Poor, urban, and minority residents are most at risk for health problems linked to climate change, according to a California Department of Public Health analysis of Los Angeles and Fresno counties. The department examined social and environmental factors ranging from the rising sea level to public transportation access and found that African Americans and Latinos living in these counties are more likely to be exposed to health and safety risks related to poor air quality, heat waves, flooding, and wildfires stemming from climate change.

The study also found that there was a notable economic disparity between families living in the areas most vulnerable to climate change and those who didn’t — the more at-risk families earned between 40 and 55 percent less each year than the least vulnerable families. Residents living downtown or in urban areas were also more vulnerable, the study said. A western portion of Fresno County near Mendota also was found to be especially susceptible to climate change-related safety and health problems.