The Color of Climate

Black, Hispanic, and Latino People Care About Climate Change the Most, Survey Finds

New research shows that the people most affected by climate change are also the most concerned

Photo illustration; Image source: Cristian Negroni/500px/Getty Images

This is The Color of Climate, a weekly column from OneZero exploring how climate change and other environmental issues uniquely impact the future of communities of color.

Nearly 15 years ago, Hurricane Katrina descended on the Gulf Coast and wreaked havoc on millions of people in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. Seven years later, Hurricane Sandy tore up the East Coast and flooded New York City. And less than three years ago, Hurricane Harvey displaced 30,000 people in Texas.

These hurricanes became flashpoints for the growing impact of climate change in the United States. Each caused millions of dollars in damage and hundreds of deaths. And crucially, all three had a more severe impact on Latino, Hispanic, and Black communities than on any other racial group.

Climate change has made catastrophic hurricanes more intense, according to research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2019, and scientists say they’re only likely to get worse as temperatures and sea levels continue to rise…