Assessing the impact of climate change requires analyzing individuals, populations, and elevated risks among subgroups. Incorporating intersectional approaches (e.g., those focused on issues of poverty, place, and race) into public policy may highlight how communities and individuals with fewer resources experience compounded vulnerability to climate-related risks. An intersectional framework yields implications for research and policy in two ways, both broadly and specifically for marginalized groups.
First, climate change research and policy would benefit from a more active articulation of intersectionality in its models of adaptation and vulnerability by recognizing groups at high risk for negative outcomes. Second, as psychologists document mental health outcomes associated with climate change, engaging in cross-disciplinary discussions will strengthen strategies aimed at reducing mental health disparities. Finally, a more nuanced discussion of climate-induced displacement and related processes (climate gentrification) will be useful in forecasting future housing affordability, migration patterns, and potential vulnerabilities.
