Income inequality and climate change in Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change is without doubt one of the greatest threats that mankind has to contend with in this 21s1 century globally. Although, climate change invariably provides opportunities to create a more improved environment for the future, the drive to address the risks and effects of climate change has been hindered due to income inequalities in developing countries. This paper presents offers an understanding of the relationship between climate change and Income inequalities. Available evidence indicates that this relationship is characterized by a vicious cycle, whereby income inequality causes the low-income groups to suffer more from the adverse effects of climate change and vice versa, resulting in greater subsequent inequality. The paper identifies the main pathways through which the inequality-aggravating effect of climate change materializes, namely (a) low income earners in the exposure to the adverse effects of climate change; (b) increase in their vulnerability to damage caused by climate change. The paper presents evidence to explain the above. It also notes that the same cycle can be used to discuss the relationship between climate change and inequality in other developing countries. Finally, it points to the ways in which the climate change and income inequality can be reduced to the minimum