African Americans and Global Warming

Adult Education Curriculum

African Americans
and Climate Change

2 African Americans and Climate Change

An Unequal Burden

African American churches have historically accepted the
responsibility to address problems that have a negative impact
on our communities. Climate change is now a very familiar
word but many of us are just beginning to understand its
disproportionate impact on our communities.

The church can play a major role in providing information
and education to increase awareness and to get people of
faith involved in helping to address problems related to
climate change. The Bible provides a source of instruction and
inspiration as we strive to honor God by honoring, respecting,
and protecting the Earth that is entrusted to us.

This two-session adult education curriculum provides information
and activities to help African American congregations
understand more fully the impacts global climate change will
have on African American communities.

Session One

Overview Before the Session

I
Write on a sheet of flip chart paper, chalkboard, white-
n 2004, the Congressional Black Caucus Founda- board, or other surface that everyone will be able to see
tion released a report that details the ways in which the following statement: “African Americans in particular
global climate change poses a particular threat to should be concerned about the issue of climate change.”
African Americans. The report reveals some sur- Below this statement, write “Strongly Agree” on the left,
prising facts about how African Americans are draw a straight line across, and write “Strongly Disagree”
disproportionately affected by this global problem. More on the right, as below:
recent studies released in 2008 by the Environmental Jus-
tice and Climate Change Initiative and the Joint Center African Americans in particular should be
for Political and Economic Studies confirm and elaborate concerned about the issue of climate change.
on the conclusion that African Americans are dispropor-
tionately impacted by climate change. Strongly Agree ______________ Strongly Disagree

Because many people have not thought about climate Hosting the Session
change as a problem for African American communities As participants enter, invite each person to indicate how
in particular, this session introduces participants to some much they agree or disagree with the statement about cli-
of the ways that African Americans are affected by climate mate change and the African American community by
change, largely using information from these national placing an “X” on the line or indicating verbally where
reports. they would place an “X” on the line. Ask the group if

African Americans and Climate Change 3

Climate Change Science
Climate change refers to the way that the
Earth’s climate is changing over time as a result
of human activities. Scientists are now 90 to 95
percent certain that the changes they’re seeing
in the climate are the result of human activities.
In general, these activities are causing the Earth’s
average temperature to rise, which is why the
problem is often called “global warming.” But
because higher temperatures will lead to a wide
variety of changes in the climate, not just warmer
temperatures, experts prefer to call the problem
“climate change.”
climate change is an issue for African American commu-
nities. Host a short discussion about where each person’s Before the Industrial Revolution, the Earth’s
opinion is now. climate had been relatively stable for the past
15,000 years. As heat from the sun entered
To facilitate discussion, you may want to ask the following our atmosphere, it also bounced back off the
true or false questions: planet and back into space. This way, heat never
• Climate Change Climate change is the change in our built up too much, and the temperature stayed
environment caused by the release of carbon dioxide relatively consistent. But with the Industrial
and scientists are now 90 percent sure that humans are Revolution we started burning more fossil
causing these changes. (True) fuels (coal, gasoline, etc.) to power factories,
• African Americans in particular should be concerned light homes, provide transportation, and more.
about the issue of climate change. (True) Burning these fuels releases certain gases into
• Climate change has a direct impact on ministry in our the air, the most well known of which is carbon
churches. (True) dioxide. Unfortunately, gases like carbon dioxide
• Climate change does not impact the cost of housing. prevent heat from leaving the atmosphere, so
(False) slowly over time as the gases have built up, so
• Asthma will increase because of global climate change has the heat. The gases act something like the
and will disproportionately impact African Americans. glass in a greenhouse, letting the sun’s heat in
(True) but not letting it out. That’s why this problem is
• Unemployment and economic hardship associated sometimes called the “greenhouse effect.”
with climate change will fall most heavily on the Afri-
can American community. (True)
• Gasoline prices are not affected by climate change.
(False)
• There is a direct correlation between social justice, eco-
nomic justice, and climate justice. (True)

If needed, review climate change science with the group
(see sidebar).


Tell the group that some of the changes that are expected
or are already occurring as a result of climate change
include: rising average global temperature, melting of
glaciers and sea ice, rising sea level, changes in weather
patterns, increasing number of heat waves, increasing
severity of hurricanes, changes in ocean currents, and
more. Because of warming global temperatures, experts
expect that heat waves will become more frequent and
intense, air pollution will increase, and certain infectious
diseases will spread.

Explain that you have a short activity to help find out how
the changes associated with climate change are affecting
or could affect African Americans. Divide the participants
into three equal sized groups.

Pass out one fact sheet (included in this curriculum) to
each group so that each group has a different fact sheet.

The Cold Facts on the Impacts of Global Warming fact
sheets:
• Heat Waves Increase
• Air Pollution Increases
• Infectious Diseases Spread

Ask them to discuss their fact sheet for 5-10 minutes and
then report out to the larger group the highlights of their
discussion. Ask the larger group for their reactions. You
might discuss that many people think of climate change
as a problem that will raise the temperature a few degrees,
or raise sea level a few inches. Most people don’t think of
climate change as a public health threat, and not as one Highlight for the group that although African Ameri-
that particularly affects African Americans. cans are disproportionately affected by climate change,
they also have more to gain from policies to slow climate
Note that the impacts discussed are only a few of the change. According to one study, reducing emissions of
changes that could affect African American communi- greenhouse gases to 15 percent below 1990 levels would
ties. For example, the frequency and intensity of tropical save an estimated 10,000 African American lives per year
storms will probably increase. Hurricane Katrina in par- by 2020. Other studies indicate that African Americans
ticular, while it can’t be directly linked to global climate could enjoy a variety of economic benefits from good cli-
change, certainly demonstrated that African Americans in mate change policies. So while climate change might be
particular can suffer from stronger storms. Many leaders particularly hard on African Americans, good policies that
are also concerned about how the changing economy will help slow climate change will help African American com-
affect more vulnerable communities. munities more than they will other communities.


Scripture Reading
The Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world,
and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the
seas, and established it on the rivers.
Psalm 24: 1-2

The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the Earth is full
of his unfailing love.
Psalm 33: 4-6

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick
he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.
Matthew 12: 19-21

Purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body
and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Further Reading and Resources
2 Corinthians 7:12 African Americans and Climate Change: An Unequal
Burden
Divide the participants back into their small groups and Prepared for the Congressional Black Caucus
ask them to discuss one or more of the scripture passages Foundation. Available online at: www.rprogress.org/
and how that relates to what they have just learned about publications/2004/CBCF_REPORT_F.pdf .
climate impacts. Bring the group back together as a large
group and have a representative from each small group Joint Center National Survey Results: African
highlight some of their discussion. Americans Respond to Global Warming
Prepared for the Commission to Engage African Ameri-
Wrap Up cans on Climate Change. Available online at: http://
End the session by asking participants if any of their opin- www.jointcenter.org/publications_recent_publications/
ions about the issue of climate change and African Ameri- environmental_projects/joint_center_national_survey_
cans have changed. Would they move the “X” they placed results_african_americans_respond_to_global_warming
on the line originally?
A Climate of Change: African Americans, Global
Conclude the session with a closing prayer offered by Warming, and a Just Climate Policy in the U.S.
the workshop leader or a participant. Prepared for the Environmental Justice and Climate
Change Initiative. Available online at: http://www.ejcc.
org/issues/us_policy/


Glossary

Climate Change or Global Warming? Mitigation
(from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Mitigation refers to the steps that need to be taken to
Climate Change (also referred to as ‘global climate reduce greenhouse gas emission and prevent the worse
change’): The term ‘climate change’ is sometimes used to impacts of climate change. Mitigation can refer to a num-
refer to all forms of climatic inconsistency, but because ber of different actions including switching to renewable
the Earth’s climate is never static, the term is more prop- energy, capturing greenhouse gas emissions before they
erly used to imply a significant change from one climatic enter the atmostphere, and changing consumer behav-
condition to another. In some cases, ‘climate change’ has ior to reduce emissions. Each of these provide a way to
been used synonymously with the term, ‘global warming’; permanently reduce the long term risks that result from
scientists, however, tend to use the term in the wider sense climate change.
to also include natural changes in climate. (See: global
warming.) Adaptation
The word adaptation as referred to by the faith commu-
Global Warming: An increase in the near surface tem- nity refers to the ability of a system, community, family
perature of the Earth. Global warming has occurred in or individual to adjust to the impacst of climate change
the distant past as the result of natural influences, but the as they are taking place in their local environment. This
term is most often used to refer to the warming predicted can mean dealing with negative impacts, taking advantage
to occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse of benfits, or finding ways to cope with new challenges.
gases. Scientists generally agree that the Earth’s surface Adaptation can be provided through assistance for all who
has warmed by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past 140 are impacted by the effects of climate change: sea level
years. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change rise, intense and frequent natural disasters, weather and
(IPCC) recently concluded that increased concentrations health related challenges.
of greenhouse gases are causing an increase in the Earth’s
overall surface temperature and relative cooling in some In particular, with the development of climate policy in
regions, generally over and downwind of heavily industri- the US consumers will need to adapt to higher prices for
alized areas. (See: climate change) energy, food, fuel, and other goods and services.

Climate change has become the preferred term because it In addition, vulnerable communities in the US and abroad
helps to convey the point that there may be other changes will be forced to adapt to the changes taking place that are
in our weather besides rising temperatures. affecting health and personal security.

Carbon Footprint
A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activi-
ties have on the environment, and in particular climate
change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases pro-
duced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels
for electricity, heating, and transportation, etc.

The Cold Facts on the
Impacts of Global Warming:
Heat Waves Increase
Scientists predict that heat waves in North
America will become more intense, more
frequent, and longer lasting in the second half
of this century.

The 2003 heat wave in Europe caused more than
20,000 deaths.

More than 500 people died as a result of the
1995 Chicago heat wave. Non-Hispanic blacks
were 50 percent more likely to die in the heat
wave than non-Hispanic whites.

Heat waves have stronger effects on urban
populations, and especially the urban poor.
African Americans are nearly twice as likely as
whites to live in poverty.

One reason urban areas are more prone to heat-
related deaths is the “heat island” effect. Urban
areas are typically covered in surfaces such as
asphalt and concrete, which retain heat. As a
result, temperatures in these areas are higher,
especially during heat waves. African Americans
are more than twice as likely as whites to live in
the inner city.

Air Pollution Increases
More than 70 percent of African Americans live
in counties in violation of federal air pollution
standards.

Higher temperatures caused by climate change
are expected to degrade air quality through
increased ozone formation.

In every major city in the US, blacks are more
likely than whites to be exposed to higher air
toxics concentrations.

Climate change is expected to increase the
incidence of asthma in the general population.

African Americans are nearly three times as
likely to be hospitalized or killed by asthma as
whites.

Infectious Diseases Spread
spread of many diseases, as warmer conditions
allow disease-spreading insects such as ticks
and mosquitoes to live in places they previously
couldn’t live.

Scientists estimate that the potential for a
malaria epidemic could increase by up to 27
percent as a result of climate change. Warmer
and wetter conditions in the US are likely to
increase malaria rates in this country.

African Americans are one and a half times less
likely than white Americans to have medical
insurance and are less likely to have regular
access to medical care. As a result, increases
in diseases put African Americans more at risk
than other communities.


Testimony

Session 2

Overview

O
ver and over, the climate change issue has a
familiar refrain: those who are least respon-
sible for climate change bear the greatest
burden of its impacts. This is true within
the United States, and it’s true globally.

How will climate change affect people around the world?
Because experts agree that climate change will affect peo-
ple in poverty, both in the developing world and in indus-
trialized countries, more than any other group, Martin
Luther King, III, has said “…global warming is a form of
violence upon the most vulnerable among us…” He made
this bold statement in a Congressional hearing, where he
was called to talk to leaders about the need for action.

According to Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the United Before the Session
Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Make one copy of each of the profiles of vulnerable com-
(IPCC), “It’s the poorest of the poor in the world, and munities or regions provided at the end of this activity.
this includes poor people even in prosperous societies,
who are going to be the worst hit.” In the United States, Hosting the Session
communities of color, the elderly, low-income communi- Divide the participants into four groups:
ties, and children will suffer the most from the impacts of • Victims of Katrina
climate change. • Inner City Communities
• Union of African Nations
What implications does this have for Christians? This • Pacific Islanders
activity simulates a hearing, in which a panel of religious
leaders (the participants) hears the testimony of a variety Explain that each group will receive information about a
of groups that are being particularly affected by climate different group of people who are especially affected by
change. Then the panel will have time to discuss what this climate change. Each group will review a sheet of facts that
means to them as Christians, and will learn about what explain some of the ways that they are or will be affected.
one religious group has done in response to this global
problem.


After reading the facts, the small group should develop
a two-minute statement that they’d like to share with
Church leaders to help the leaders understand how criti-
cal this issue is for that particular population.

Give each small group 15 minutes to review the facts,
discuss, and write their statement. Ask each small group
to select a spokesperson that can deliver their statement.
Once the groups are ready, have each small group present
their statement to the larger group.

After each small group has presented its testimony/state-
ment to the rest of the participants (who are serving as the
religious leaders), allow the participants to discuss what
they’ve heard. Do they notice any common threads? Were
they surprised at all to learn that it’s not just people in
developing areas of the world that are threatened with the
problems of climate change?
Divide the participants back into their small groups and
Scripture Reading ask them to discuss the scripture passages. Does being a
“In everything do to others as you would have them Christian make us any more or less obligated to care about
do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” the issue of climate change? What are some specific ways
Matthew 7:12 our churches can become involved in addressing the issue
of climate change? Bring the small groups back together
“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the king- in a larger group and have each small group share a high-
dom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; light of their discussion on the scripture passages.
for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and
you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you Wrap Up
welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I End the session by highlighting additional resources that
was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you the participants can use to learn more.
visited me. Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord,
when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or Conclude the session with a closing prayer offered by
thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was the workshop leader or a participant.
it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked
and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you Further Reading and Resources
sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer Climate and Church: How Core Church Ministries will be
them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did to one of the least of impacted by Climate Change produced by the National
these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’” Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program office and
Matthew 25: 34-40 available online at: www.nccecojustice.org

Inner City Communities
Scientists predict that heat waves in North
America will become more intense, more
frequent, and longer lasting in the second half
of this century.

Urban areas are typically covered in surfaces
such as asphalt and concrete, which retain
heat. As a result, temperatures in these areas
are higher, especially during heat waves.

African Americans are more than twice as likely
as whites to live in the inner city.

More than 500 people died as a result of the
1995 Chicago heat wave. Non-Hispanic blacks
were 50 percent more likely to die in the heat
wave than non-Hispanic whites.

Higher temperatures caused by climate change
are expected to degrade air quality through
increased ozone formation.

In every major city in the US, blacks are more
likely than whites to be exposed to higher air
toxics concentrations.

incidence of asthma in the general population.
African Americans are nearly three times as
likely to be hospitalized or killed by asthma as
whites.

Pacific Islanders
As sea levels rise, many low-lying islands
are facing new problems of flooding with
unusually high tides. According to Amjad
Abdulla, a representative of the Republic of the
Maldives, “In recent months we in the Maldives
experienced tidal surges on an unprecedented
scale. Never in our documented history has so
many islands been flooded over simultaneously
and to such an extent.”

Rising ocean temperatures threaten the health
of coral reefs. These reefs are the mainstay
of tourism and fisheries industries, which are
at the heart of many small island nations’
economies.

Some nations are making plans to move vulnerable coastal communities
to safer locations, and the government of New Zealand is making plans
to handle climate refugees from people leaving Pacific islands.

Although many islands’ highest point is only a few feet above sea level,
mountainous islands such as Fiji do not necessarily offer residents more
places to move. Fiji’s center is mountainous, with steep, rocky slopes—
difficult terrain for people to inhabit. People who live on much larger
land masses, like North America, have much more room to move around.

“It is very, very serious because if we don’t do something now, we are
gone. That’s for sure. There’s no two ways about it and we are scared.”
–Young Vivian, Premiere of the small island nation of Niue, at a meeting
of island nations to discuss the threat of climate change

As sea levels rise, fresh water supplies are being contaminated with salt
water. Many nations are considering new ways of getting fresh water,
like converting seawater into drinking water, but for many the costs are
too high.

Climate change may affect the El Nino weather events, which in turn
affect rainfall patterns on the islands. Recently, Pacific island nations
suffered acute water shortages.

The intensity of tropical storms is predicted to increase. Stronger storms
pose a particularly big risk to small island nations.

Union of African Nations
Although Africa is the continent least responsible
for global climate change, it is the continent
that is most vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change.

Climate change threatens Africa’s water supplies.
Scientists think there will be less moisture in the
soil in many regions, and less water running off
into reservoirs where water is stored for human
use. Lakes and dams in Africa are now at critically
low levels, and experts think climate change will
make these kinds of shortages more frequent.

Climate change is likely to make disease
epidemics worse. Increasing temperatures
will extend the range of mosquitoes that transmit malaria, for example.
Droughts and floods will also increase disease where sanitary conditions are
poor.

Climate change will lead to further losses of already declining forests and
rangelands. These areas not only offer habitat to wildlife and wild plants,
but also supply food to people.

In most areas of Africa, farmers depend entirely on rain that falls on crops
during the rainy season, and not on irrigation. For this reason, Africa is
particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Coastal nations of west and central Africa have low-lying coasts that are
especially threatened by sea level rise. Many of these countries have major
cities on the coast, but few have the economic resources to erect sea walls,
relocate residents, or use other measures to adapt to rising sea levels.

Climate change will affect political stability in Africa. Experts have linked the
current genocides in Somalia and Sudan to global warming because shifting
rainfall patterns have made water more scarce. A former US Army Chief of
Staff has called global warming a “threat multiplier” because of its ability
to intensify already existing problems. Water shortages and declining viable
farmland are likely to trigger more armed conflicts.

Victims of Hurricane Katrina
Scientists don’t think any one storm is caused
by global climate change, but they do believe
that storms are becoming, and will continue
to become, larger and more intense as climate
change makes the world’s oceans warmer. Storms
like Katrina could become more common.

In the North Atlantic Ocean, the intensity of
tropical storms and hurricanes appears to be
increasing.

Hurricane Katrina struck the US Gulf Coast on
August 29, 2005. Because of the intensity of the
storm, where it made landfall, and inadequate
flood protection in heavily populated areas like
New Orleans, the storm left more than one million people homeless and
killed hundreds of people in three states. The city of New Orleans suffered
the greatest impact from the storm.

Key facts about residents of the city of New Orleans at the time of the
storm:
• Nearly one quarter were elderly or disabled
• ore than 28 percent of New Orleans residents lived in poverty (double
M
the national average poverty rate)
• ighty-four percent of those living in poverty were African American
E
• hirty five percent of African American households did not have a car
T
(compared to 15 percent of white households).
• efore Katrina, African Americans in Louisiana were 50 percent more likely
B
than whites to be living without health insurance.

In general, higher-income residents lived in areas less prone to flooding.
The poorest residents of New Orleans lived in the hazardous parts of the
city that experienced greater flooding. For instance, the Lower Ninth Ward,
where many low-income residents lived, quickly flooded when the levees
failed. Louisiana State University Geographer Craig E. Colten said, “Out
West, there is a saying that water flows to money. But in New Orleans, water
flows away from money.”

Many think of hurricanes and other natural disasters as tragedies that
can strike everyone in society equally. But according to New York Times
columnist David Brooks, storms such as Hurricane Katrina “wash away the
surface of society, the settled way things have been done. They expose the
underlying power structures, the injustices, the patterns of corruption and
the unacknowledged inequalities.”

African Americans and Climate Change:
Adult Education Curriculum
Developed by: Christy Merrick and Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell
Edited by: Cassandra Carmichael

National Council of Churches USA
Eco-Justice Programs
110 Maryland Ave., NE
Suite 108
Washington, DC 20002
202-544-2350
www.nccecojustice.org
info@nccecojustice.org
©2009

African Americans and Global Warming

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African Americans and Global Warming