Studies have shown that climate change affects the most vulnerable in society, this often being the poorer members in society as such climate change is a social justice issue.

• As Costello et al puts it 'The inequity of climate change—with the rich causing most of the problem and the poor initially suffering most of the consequences—will prove to be a source of historical shame to our generation if nothing is done to address it.'
• This is further supported by Dale Jamieson who articulates that its: 'Even more troubling than the fact that poor countries suffer more from climate-related impacts than rich countries is the fact that poor people suffer more from such impacts than rich people, wherever they live.’
• For example: Bangladesh is a country very susceptible to climate change, however, the rich people in Bangladesh won’t suffer much of the consequences because they have the money to adapt. Poor people in the UK might also suffer the effects of climate change for example sleeping rough in the middle of heavy rain. As such we can see that poor and marginalised groups are much more vulnerable to the harsh effects of climate change.
• Because of such climate change is a social justice issue as it disproportionately affects those in a disadvantaged position.

Climate change is more than a social justice issue, it is a universal issue that affects us all

• Climate change does have roots in social justice. In the UK, air pollution contributed to a girl's death, which has since caused calls for a change in the law and making information about air pollution levels in the UK available to the public..

• In the United States, large populations of Latino and Black Americans live near heavily polluted areas compared to their white counterparts. As a result, there has been significant amounts of respiratory problems among these groups.

• However, whilst it is important to recognise climate change is a social justice issue, it is also an issue that affects us all in different ways, and identifying it as a social justice issue may not be beneficial as it requires a more urgent response.