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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Climate change presents one of the greatest challenges of the 21st Century. It will
massively affect human societies in complex and multiple ways. And it seems to be almost
uncontrollable in the near future. Our knowledge of the chemistry and physics of climate
change, its causes and its consequences for planetary systems, is far greater than our
understanding of the societal changes it poses. Climate change results from a complex
process of societal transformations, which we all need to understand to better cope with
the challenges it presents. Climatic conditions play a significant role and interfere with
people’s lives in multiple ways. The causes are essentially known, based on unequivocal
human action. All solutions also involve human decision and action. It is social and
human action in both individual and social settings that are decisive for the future
pathways of climate change and its disentanglement.
There is also a factor of climate injustice that must be addressed. The nations that
contributed most to the problem are often those that experience more limited and
manageable consequences while those who contributed the least are often the most
affected, vulnerable and unprepared. With climate change, the risk of conflicts, disasters
and internal displacement increases so exacerbate existing inequalities and poverty. This
presents a moral conundrum of the highest order.
At the ecological level, the destruction or disintegration of nature/nurture is more
visible, with strong impacts on the availability and reduction of natural resources. In
terms of social systems, climate change breaks down social organization, housing, the
food system, generates migration, increases economic losses, hunger and public health
breakdowns. In a more invisible way, climate change destroys cultural belonging and
individual and collective identities. In addition to these expected impacts in the most
diverse social, cultural, economic and environmental sectors, human health has emerged
as an important area of considerable alarm. Although not frequently mentioned or
targeted as a key political concern, it is expected that the impact of climate change
on human health will be severe, both in the proliferation and incidence of diseases.
Moreover, climate change will have extensive implications to human wellbeing, which
will reflect on social structures and ways of life.
Description
Keywords
Sociologia ambiental Sociologia das alterações climáticas Alterações climáticas Dimensão social das alterações climáticas Alterações climáticas e sociedades Sociedades
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Alves F and Schmidt L (2022) Editorial: Climate change and society. Front. Sociol. 7:991193. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.991193
Publisher
Frontiers in Environmental Science and Frontiers in Communication