The effects of climate change - floods, hurricanes, fires, drought, extreme heat - are disportionately felt by the poorest and most vulnerable in our world, those least responsible for climate change, who have the least resources to respond to its effects.
On this page we explore the concept of climate justice - and climate injustice; give some examples; explain how climate and racial justice are related; and describe some actions that can be taken to address the fundamental injustice that those worst affected by climate change have done the least to cause it and have the least resources to respond to what they are facing.
What is climate justice?
- The Cambridge Dictionary defines climate justice as “the idea that rich countries of the world must take responsibility for climate change and the damage it causes, and help poorer countries and people because they have not caused most of the problem and are the worst affected”
- Carbon Brief explores the concept of climate justice, explaining that “Climate justice has emerged from the idea that historical responsibility for climate change lies with wealthy and powerful people – and yet it disproportionately impacts the poorest and most vulnerable.”
Christians and climate justice
- Tear Fund's Ruth Valerio, author and theologian, explains why she thinks the climate crisis is a justice issue.
- Molly Clarke, from the Young Christian Climate Network, explains why climate justice is so important to her.
- In Lent 2025 the Diocese of London developed a five-session online course on climate justice which is available for others to follow. The introduction suggests that responding to the climate and ecological emergency, renewing our faith and discipleship aren’t rival projects - they may turn out to be the same thing.
Climate justice and Kenya
The Diocese of Chelmsford is linked with five dioceses in Kenya.
Below, the Bishop of the Marsabit Diocese talks to Rev. Sandra Eldridge, then the Chelmsford Diocesan Environmental Officer, about the effects of climate change in his Diocese in 2023.
As climate change has continued to cause serious droughts in Kenya, the effects have become more severe. However, the carbon footprint of the average Kenyan is less than 2 tonnes (the actual figure varies depending on which emissions are included and sources of data), whereas the average UK carbon footprint is around 9 tonnes (again the actual figure varies).
The World Bank Climate Risk Country Profile for Kenya recognises that the country is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. The ND-GAIN index ranks countries according to their vulnerability to climate change. In 2023 Kenya was ranked 148th out of 181 countries indicating very high vulnerability, while the UK was ranked 7th.
In 2026, the Bishop of Chelmsford's Lent appeal is focused on supporting our five linked Dioceses to respond to the effects of climate change in Kenya, supporting suffering communities and building resilience. You can find out more here.
Many countries in Africa have small per capita emissions and high vulnerability to climate change, similar to Kenya.
Climate justice and the Amazon
The Amazon rainforest covers a huge area of South America and many countries. It is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, covering approximately 5.5 to 7 million square kilometres.
The rainforest is key in the fight against climate change. Between 150 and 200 billion tonnes of carbon are currently stored in the forest and for most of its life, the forest has also been a net absorber of carbon from the atmosphere. Sadly, largely due to deforestation, this may be changing. A 2021 research study using small planes to measure carbon in the air indicated that Amazon rainforest was emitting more CO2 than it absorbs. Since then other work has been ongoing to confirm this.
The Amazon rainforest is also home to 30 million Indigenous individuals who live in harmony with their environment and protect the forest as far as they are able. In fact in a 2023 report, the World Resources Institute found that forests managed by Indigenous people in the Amazon collectively removed a net 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere each year between 2001 and 2021, equivalent to the U.K.’s annual fossil fuel emissions. Meanwhile, forests outside of the Amazon’s Indigenous lands were collectively a carbon emissions source, due to significant forest loss. As deforestation continues, Indigenous communities who have contributed virtually nothing to climate change are losing homes and livelihoods. The world needs to help them safeguard their forest homes. This is likely to also preserve the Amazon’s remaining carbon sinks.
A just transition
To reduce the current suffering due to the severe effects of climate change and ensure a livable planet for future generations the world needs to transition to a low carbon economy as swiftly as possible, but this transition must itself be just and should involve the most vulnerable suffering even more. The United Nations defines a just transition as ensuring "that the shift to a sustainable, low-carbon, and climate-resilient economy is fair, inclusive, and leaves no one behind".
A just transition involves global, national and local initiatives. One global initiative is the Loss and Damage Fund. In 2022, at the 27th United Nations Conference on Climate Change, an agreement was reached to create a fund to help low-income countries offset the damage from natural disasters caused by climate change. Named the "Loss and Damage Fund," the fund was designed to provide support to vulnerable nations facing the brunt of climate-related challenges. A major stumbling block to fully implementing this initiative is the gap between the funding these countries need and the funding other countries are willing to give. However, some initial funding will be distributed in 2026.
Meanwhile, the Belem Action Mechanism (BAM), a new UN institutional arrangement designed to address the current fragmentation and inadequacy of global Just Transition efforts was approved at the 30th UN Climate Change Conference in Belem in 2024. BAM was developed by a coalition including the Climate Action Network.
Greenpeace explain why a just transition is important and what it might look like for the UK.
The London Borough of Newham is part of the Diocese of Chelmsford. In December 2023, Newham Council approved the UK's first Just Transition Plan at local council level.
Climate justice and racial justice
Watch a Christian Aid introduction to climate justice and racial justice below.
In 2023, the Diocese of Chelmsford organised a series of online sessions and face to face sessions looking at the relationship between climate justice and racial justice. You can find recordings of the online sessions and a lot more resources here.
Three of the online sessions focused on India, the Amazon, and Kenya. In the fourth session, the author, Jeremy Williams gave us an overview and talked about his book: Climate change is racist.
In July 2024, Revd Dr Preb Amatu Christian-Iwuagwu talked at a fringe event at the Church of England's General Synod about climate justice and racial justice, pointing out that "we cannot ignore the reality that those on the frontlines of climate-related disasters have disproportionately been people of colour." You can find the text of his talk here.
Taking action on climate justice
Christian Aid has resources for starting a conversation about climate justice in your church.
The Climate Justice Coalition is a network of groups and individuals committed to building solidarity and power for climate justice in Britain and across the globe.
