Racial disparities in U.S. work against disaster recovery for people of color: CNN

NEW YORK, April 18 (Xinhua) -- People of color in the United States face heightened risks of harm from climate-induced disasters, and non-profits are pushing to remedy that disparity with more equitable approaches to disaster preparedness, response and recovery, reported CNN on Monday.

A report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Atmospheric Programs looked at four vulnerable social groups: people living on low-income, racial minorities, those with no high school diploma, and seniors over age 65. Of the four groups, the study found minorities are most likely to live in areas projected to be impacted by climate change.

"Moreover, Black people are 40 percent more likely than non-African-Americans to live in areas with the highest projected increases in mortality rates due to changes in extreme temperatures. It's a dire warning for the future, based on an inequitable past," noted the report.

Many marginalized people, Black in particular, have faced socioeconomic factors that relegate them to living in environmentally hazardous areas or substandard housing structures. So, when a natural disaster hits, they are ill-equipped to withstand the impact, it said.

"Although natural disasters don't discriminate, the response can, especially when the lingering effects of structural racism hamper relief," it added.