Climate change inequalities: A systematic review of disparities in access to mitigation and adaptation measures

Abstract

Climate change is tightly coupled with patterns of inequality at both the global and local spatial scales. Inequitable access to climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies can exacerbate existing social vulnerabilities and enhance disparities in the impacts of climate change. Despite advances in the development of sustainable adaptation and mitigation strategies, the extent to which access to practical initiatives is equitable across the population remains poorly understood. This study provides a systematic review of empirical studies that consider social equality in access to climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives. Our findings show that in the last decade, research has tended to focus on international income inequalities and climate injustice while few studies have considered inequalities in access to mitigation and adaptation initiatives at the neighbourhood or city level. Also largely absent from the reviewed research, were studies focused on vulnerabilities other than economic disadvantage, such as immigrant status, language barriers or physical disabilities. We suggest that more studies using mixed-methods are required to co-develop sustainable climate change adaptation practices that are accessible for all individuals and appropriate within local contexts.