If our global climate change catastrophe remains uncontrollable, vast parts of the world are likely to become tougher and much less hospitable to humanity.
When that happens, there will be an even greater rift between the global haves and have-nots, as many people are left without the means to escape the worst effects of the climate crisis, according to a new UN human rights report released on Tuesday.
As the rich move to more expensive residential areas, the report predicts that 120 million people will be in poverty by 2030 due to climate change.
Unequal Distribution
The report describes how the world's poorest 3.5 billion people are responsible for ten percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, while the richest ten percent of the world's population are responsible for half.
“On the other hand, the wealthiest, who have the most adaptability and are responsible for and benefit from the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions, will be in the best position to cope with climate change,” wrote the UN Poverty Officer and Human Rights Philip Alston in the report.
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Pay to survive
In his report, Allston writes that the rich's access to life-saving resources has forced humankind to adapt to the climate crisis in the wrong direction - instead of acting to prevent or reverse the worst climate change, the rich can afford to personally avoid the problem.
"Over-reliance on the private sector could lead to an apartheid climate scenario in which the rich get money to avoid overheating, hunger and conflict, while the rest of the world is left to suffer," Alston writes.
