The hottest summer ever recorded in the northern hemisphere is a stark reminder of the immediacy of the climate crisis. And the hardest hit by climate impacts, such as residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, are often those with the least capacity to adapt.
People who live in this community are exposed to climate hazards made worse by a lack of green space and shoddy and aging housing. Residents experience the cumulative impacts of factors such as the opioid epidemic, poverty, limited employment opportunities, intergenerational trauma and criminal justice and mental health issues.
As a result, residents have had little space for participation in climate adaptation policy. But when climate shocks occur, this community is disproportionately at risk.
