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. 2022 Aug 25;13(1):3418.
doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-31056-2.

Social inequalities in climate change-attributed impacts of Hurricane Harvey

Kevin T Smiley  1 , Ilan Noy  2 , Michael F Wehner  3 , Dave Frame  4 , Christopher C Sampson  5 , Oliver E J Wing  5
Affiliations

Social inequalities in climate change-attributed impacts of Hurricane Harvey

Kevin T Smiley et al. Nat Commun. .

Abstract

Climate change is already increasing the severity of extreme weather events such as with rainfall during hurricanes. But little research to date investigates if, and to what extent, there are social inequalities in climate change-attributed extreme weather event impacts. Here, we use climate change attribution science paired with hydrological flood models to estimate climate change-attributed flood depths and damages during Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas. Using detailed land-parcel and census tract socio-economic data, we then describe the socio-spatial characteristics associated with these climate change-induced impacts. We show that 30 to 50% of the flooded properties would not have flooded without climate change. Climate change-attributed impacts were particularly felt in Latina/x/o neighborhoods, and especially so in Latina/x/o neighborhoods that were low-income and among those located outside of FEMA's 100-year floodplain. Our focus is thus on climate justice challenges that not only concern future climate change-induced risks, but are already affecting vulnerable populations disproportionately now.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Map of climate change-attributed flooding (38% scenario).
Each hexagonal bin symbolizes the number of residential buildings that would not have flooded without the added impact of climate change in Harris County, Texas during Hurricane Harvey.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Percent of properties associated with each racial and ethnic group (38% scenario).
Estimated percentages for residential properties in Harris County, Texas during Hurricane Harvey. Note: Group A included 1,002,026 parcels, group B 53,616 parcels, and group C 52,439 parcels.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Estimated per capita property damage from flooding by racial composition (38% scenario).
Estimated per capita damages for residential properties in Harris County, TX during Hurricane Harvey.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Predicted probabilities of parcel flooding only because of climate change.
Predicted probabilities calculated for binary logistic regression results in Table 2 at levels of percent Latina/x/o, for Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, TX.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5. Percent of Latina/x/o parcels flooded because of climate change inside and outside of floodplains (38% scenario).
Estimated percentages for residential properties in Harris County, Texas during Hurricane Harvey.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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