Climate change is considered an intersectional issue because it intersects with and exacerbates various social, economic, and environmental challenges, disproportionately affecting different communities and groups of people, which is what we spoke about with The Intersectional Environmentalist author Leah Thomas. Here are some key ways in which climate change is intersectional:

1. Environmental justice
2. Economic inequality
3. Gender
4. Health disparities
5. Indigenous rights
6. Migration and displacement
7. Access to resources
8. Racial and ethnic disparities
9. Food security
10. Global inequality

Read: Edinburgh Book Festival: Mikaela Loach walks out over ‘greenwashing’ sponsor

Recognising these intersections is crucial for developing effective climate policies and strategies that address both the environmental and social dimensions of the crisis. It emphasises the importance of considering the needs and perspectives of marginalised communities and ensuring that climate solutions are equitable and inclusive.

How is climate change an intersectional issue?

Thanks to the following author for participating:

Leah Thomas is an eco-communicator (an environmentalist with a love for writing and creativity), based in California. She’s passionate about advocating for and exploring the relationship between social justice and environmentalism. She first wrote about Intersectional Environmentalism in 2019, but gained international following after her post ‘Environmentalists for Black Lives Matter’ in 2020. Additionally, Thomas has written for Vogue and Elle, among other places, and has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, W Magazine, Domino, Glamour, Teen Vogue, and on numerous podcasts. She studied environmental science, and worked for the US National Park Service and Patagonia before becoming a full-time activist. “The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet” is her first book.

Here are some of the resources from the show:

Meet climate justice activist and author of “It’s Not That Radical: Climate Action to Transform Our World,” Mikaela Loach.

Books looked at this week:

Leah Thomas: The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet

Mikaela Loach: It’s Not That Radical: Climate Action to Transform Our World

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Transcription