Social inequalities could be strengthened by ongoing forces of climate change
The effects of climate change will be felt the most by the people with the least resources to cope. Deena Coster reports. The consequences of climate change could ultimately force two elderly pensioners out of their beachside home and into the unknown. Sisters Joan and Esther Olsson are among the residents who live in the Waitara East beach settlement in north Taranaki. Waitara is about 15 kilometres north of New Plymouth and has some of the highest levels of deprivation in the region, according to the New Zealand Index of Deprivation . READ MORE: * Why New Zealand lags behind Scandinavia on climate action * Coronavirus: How to live lightly while in home lockdown * Introducing the Forever Project: lasting, meaningful coverage of the climate challenge In the four decades the Olssons have owned their home, the landscape around them has altered significantly. "It's all changed, everything's changed," Joan, 76, said. She and 78-year-old Esther have no plans to move, but say that if the safety risk posed by rising sea levels, or damage wrought by more frequent storms - both issues which plague the area - force them out of their home, they would probably have to move into a flat. "I don't want to shift," Joan said. "I love this place." It would be an emotional wrench for Esther as well. "This is our special spot." Research shows the effects of climate change will not be spread evenly across the population and will be felt more keenly in areas where existing socio-economic and health inequalities exist. In New Zealand, children, the elderly, people with disabilities and chronic disease and low-income groups are particularly vulnerable. In October 2017, the Human Health Impacts of Climate Change for New Zealand report from the Royal Society warned of indirect social effects, including disruption to health services and other social and economic challenges, including food security. It also said an adverse impact on mental health and the health of the community was likely. Another report, from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, highlighted a "vicious cycle" involving climate change and inequality. It said initial disparities caused disadvantaged groups to suffer disproportionately from the adverse effects of climate change, resulting in even greater subsequent inequality. It plays out like this: inequality increases the exposure of the disadvantaged group to the negative effects of climate change; these differences then increase the disadvantaged group's susceptibility to damage, and decrease their ability to cope and recover. Last year, an expert from the United Nations issued a warning about "climate apartheid" - where the rich will be able to afford to buy their way out of the worst effects of climate change while the poor suffer the most. In New Zealand, 17 per cent of children live in households below the poverty line, defined as 50 per cent of the median income before taking into account housing costs. About 148,000 children go without their basic needs being met, including not having decent shoes or getting enough food, while 65,000 suffer severe hardship. And it's a problem not going away anytime soon. The 2020 Salvation Army State of the Nation report said nothing had changed in terms of addressing entrenched inequality and poverty in New Zealand. So what happens when you add climate change and its consequences into the mix? Popular ideas suggested online regarding how individuals can help tackle climate change in their own lives include eating less meat, or cutting back on air travel. Arguably, people living in poverty, or on its margins, are already doing this by default. Not out of concerns over the climate, but because they can't afford it. For some whose work is dedicated to giving a hand up to those in need, the climate crisis is not on the radar. Sharon Wills, manager of the New Plymouth Foodbank, said there was little time for the "big picture stuff" since the service ran from pay cheque to pay cheque, much like its clients. "We struggle to get enough food and money just to keep running." One of the dramatic swings she had seen, as a result of wetter weather, was an increase in power bills. Wills said this directly impacted on how much money people had left in their pockets, and therefore the demand on the foodbank's stores. "It puts a strain on our supply. It's just a vicious cycle." For the disabled and ageing sectors of society, climate change was a real consideration, New Plymouth-based advocate Lance Girling-Butcher said. Extreme temperatures not only affected the health and welfare of the older generation - they could also contribute to fluctuating power bills. Tracey Bryant, Waitara Alive Board chair and general manager of Wise Charitable Trust, said work was going on to find ways for lower socioeconomic sections of the community to adapt. "We are certainly aware that there are changes and Waitara is a vulnerable community." Bryant said the lack of transport options and the scant resources of some Waitara residents raised questions about their ability to stockpile groceries or safely leave the area, if it was hit by an extreme weather event. "If they can't afford to keep fuel in their petrol tank, how are they going to evacuate?" Bryant said. One fledgling idea on the table to possibly help was setting up a community energy network, which would provide a standalone power supply so residents were not reliant on heavy infrastructure. It could ultimately lead to cheaper power bills in future too, Bryant said. However, the viability of such a project in the town was only being considered and it was too early to know if it would go ahead, she said.