Episode 282: The Unequal Costs of Climate Change

In the U.S., 2025 began with devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, followed by hundreds of tornadoes across the central states, and has recently been marked by catastrophic flooding in Texas and across the South and Midwest. These escalating weather disasters aren’t isolated events—they’re part of a global pattern in which climate change is making disasters worse, with the most vulnerable communities often getting hit hardest. Professor Farhana Sultana explains how the history of colonialism and ongoing inequalities shape who suffers most from climate disasters, both in the U.S. and around the world. Drawing from her experiences in Bangladesh and her global research, she makes the case for climate justice that addresses power dynamics, not just pollution.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Sultana’s book, Confronting Climate Coloniality: Decolonizing Pathways for Climate Justice

• Watch her interview with Al Jazeera about COP29: A New Era for Climate Finance 

• Read an op-ed she co-wrote in The Guardian: In 2023 we’ve seen climate destruction in real time, yet rich countries are poised to do little at Cop28