How an Intersectional Approach Can Help Us Address Vulnerability to Climate Change

The guide explains that climate vulnerability is driven by intersecting systems of inequity—such as racism, ableism, and patriarchy—which create structural barriers and conditions like poverty or social isolation. It advocates for moving beyond single-issue analyses to identify and challenge the root causes of vulnerability, ensuring adaptation efforts reach the most marginalized populations.

• Climate vulnerability is not merely a result of exposure to hazards but is significantly driven by intersecting systems of inequity. These systems are structural, embedded in laws, policies, institutions, and social norms, and include forms of discrimination such as racism, patriarchy, and ableism.
• There is a causal chain linking societal inequity to climate risk: intersecting systems of inequity create structural barriers (such as discriminatory laws or exclusionary norms), which in turn produce conditions that increase vulnerability, including poverty, social isolation, or lack of access to services.
• An intersectional approach is necessary for effective adaptation because it moves beyond single-issue analyses (e.g., focusing only on gender or age) and avoids treating social groups as homogeneous. This approach allows for more targeted allocation of adaptation resources by identifying those experiencing multiple, overlapping forms of discrimination.
• Global trends indicate a regression in human rights, with the United Nations reporting that discrimination has been rising since 2015, specifically citing anti-LGBTQ+ policies and the weakening of protections against gender-based violence.

APA

Dekens, J., Dazé, A., & Hunter, C. (2026). How an Intersectional Approach Can Help Us Address Vulnerability to Climate Change. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/how-intersectional-approach-can-help-us-address-vulnerability-climate-change

Chicago

Dekens, Julie, Angie Dazé, and Cameron Hunter. How an Intersectional Approach Can Help Us Address Vulnerability to Climate Change. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/how-intersectional-approach-can-help-us-address-vulnerability-climate-change.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dekens |first1=Julie |last2=Dazé |first2=Angie |last3=Hunter |first3=Cameron |title=How an Intersectional Approach Can Help Us Address Vulnerability to Climate Change |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=6 February 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/how-intersectional-approach-can-help-us-address-vulnerability-climate-change |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dekens2026how, author = {Dekens, Julie and Dazé, Angie and Hunter, Cameron}, title = {{How an Intersectional Approach Can Help Us Address Vulnerability to Climate Change}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/how-intersectional-approach-can-help-us-address-vulnerability-climate-change}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }