As the world grapples with climate change, the fact that its worst consequences will disproportionately affect underserved communities is often an overlooked detail.
A panel at the Annual Meeting and Convention shed light on climate change’s impact on urban populations in New Jersey, which in recent years have suffered worsening heat waves, air quality, flooding and other impacts.
NJSBA Trustee Ron McCormick led a panel that included Dr. Sarah Das, a scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette and former NJSBA President Thomas H. Prol.
Last year was the warmest year on record for the planet, driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas, Das said. Rising sea levels caused by the warming temperatures have the potential to decimate coastal communities, where large populations of New Jersey residents live, she said.
“Vulnerable populations, whether it’s young children, the elderly or people without significant resources, are much less able to adapt in the face of climate change,” according to Das.
Prol, whose practice incorporates environmental law, lectured attendees on the tenets of environmental justice – ensuring that all people, regardless of income, race or national origin, are protected from the effects of climate change. New Jersey alone has seen a significant increase in superstorm events over the last 20 years, leading to injury and disease.
“The real issue with what’s happening in the environment is the increased issues of morbidity and mortality associated with population and extreme weather events,” Prol said. “This disproportionally harms disenfranchised communities with people who suffer from asthma at a higher percentage and other health issues.”
New Jersey is ground zero for the effects of climate change, according to LaTourette. The state is warming at a faster rate than most states in the Northeast, while its risk of sea level rise is two times higher than most other places on the planet. That, coupled with more severe rainstorms that overburden drainage system in cities and cause flooding, will require a total revamping of New Jersey’s infrastructure.
“We have to change our perspective in improving well-being in our communities. We have to build things today that will stand the test of time,” LaTourette said.