Class, wealth and climate change - Part 2

The second panel, on March 7, will delve deeper into class and climate in the "age of Trump." Featuring Matt Huber, from Syracuse University, and Myles Lennon, an environmental anthropologist at Brown University. Lennon's work examines how rooftop solar, microgrids and other climate resilience infrastructure impact power structures as they proliferate across New York City. He also worked in sustainable energy for eight years before starting his Phd. 

The discussion will focus on how class and race impacts people's political influence and ability to access resources to adapt to the problem or push for change, Szeman said. Building on the panel around vulnerability, Huber and Lennon will examine how socio-economic status influences the extent to which people can modify their lifestyles for the climate or influence societal responses to the problem. 

"At a personal level, it costs money to be virtuous with respect to the climate," Szeman explained, citing for instance the higher cost of eating organic foods or replacing electric appliances. But at a societal level, the investments in cleaner infrastructure or regulations setting more environmental pollution standards can reduce prices for everyone – if people can convince politicians to make the shift. 

"That doesn't happen often because they're cynical, or they don't worry about your experience compared to other people's, or they have other political goals," he said. 

The events will also be livestreamed here. 

— Marc Fawcett-Atkinson, reporter