Who Will Be Hit Hardest by Climate Change?

Five years ago, Adrián López left his job on a Central Valley farm for better pay and working conditions as a house detailer for a construction company. A farm worker for some 13 years, López says changes in the weather made the job unbearable.

"In the last years, I've noticed that it's became hotter here," says López. "Also, the rain arrived later and it rained longer."

As reports of climate change predict its likely effects on business and nature -- from California's wine industry to the Siberian permafrost -- what's missing in the discussion is who bears the brunt of the negative impact of global warming.

Ethnic and low-income communities will be hit hardest by the economic costs of climate changes, reports the nonprofit research group Redefining Progress, unless energy policies take into account the impact on those in the lowest income brackets.

López moved to the city of Madera in California's Central Valley from Oaxaca, México about 18 years ago. He lives in an apartment with his wife and four kids, and their utility bill is about $80 per month. That's $20-$30 more than it was a few years ago, he says.

High gas prices have caused López and his family to significantly change their habits.

"I try to control the usage of electricity, otherwise we'll have problems paying the bill," he says. "Now, if I have to go shopping for a few things, I use the bike."

Read More
http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=e9f60de6d9afc1564ed747d5f96847ad