Climate Change and African Americans in the USA

Abstract

Abstract Climate change is one of the most challenging geophysical science and policy issues in modern times. The combined anthropogenic and natural forcing on the climate has profound impacts on the major spheres of the Earth system. Scholarly analysis has also revealed a cascading array of effects on the socioeconomic and political fabric. One of the more subtle effects of climate change is how it may affect certain sub‐groups of people. Herein, we draw upon the literature to present the case for why African Americans are particularly vulnerable to climate change. While the focus is on one specific racial group, it is important to note that many of these findings may apply to an array of under‐represented or underserved groups.