WORLD INEQUALITY LAB LINKS POVERTY WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

Natural disasters and economic inequality

- By P.K. Balachandran

The devastation caused by Cyclone "Ditwah" in Sri Lanka cannot be understood in its entirety unless it is seen in the light of economic inequality in the country, and indeed in the comity of nations.

Over half of the people in the flooded areas were living in households already facing multiple vulnerabilities before the cyclone, including unstable income, high debt, and limited ability to cope with disasters, UNDP said in a report.

Hydrologists estimate that nearly 13 billion cubic metres of water fell on a single day on November 28, equivalent to about 10% of Sri Lanka's annual rainfall. Floodwaters from the cyclone inundated more than 1.1 million hectares - almost 20% of the country's land area. Over 576,626 families and 2,054,535 individuals were affected, with 627 deaths and 190 missing persons reported.

More than 4,517 houses were destroyed, and 76,066 were partially damaged. About 956 relief centres were set up to shelter 27,663 families and 89,857 individuals. Over 16,000 km of roads, enough to circle the island's coastline more than twelve times, were flooded, as were 278 km of railway tracks.

The devastation caused by climate change is closely linked to economic inequality, says World Inequality Lab (WIL) in its latest report. The cumulative consequences of extreme climate events are becoming increasingly visible, affecting livelihoods, infrastructure, and economic stability worldwide. And the climate crisis is unfolding in a world marked by profound economic inequality and highly concentrated wealth, the report points out. And climate change is advancing at a pace that far exceeds early projections. Funds for climate change mitigation are drying up.

Inequality as a Factor