To What Extent Does Being Colonised Influence Climate Vulnerability?

Abstract

The legacy of colonisation intertwines historical injustices with contemporary geosocial vulnerabilities, affecting climate change impacts. However, quantitative evidence for this link is very limited. We examine the premise that former colonies, particularly in the Global South, bear a disproportionate burden of climate change effects due to historical patterns of exploitation and neglect by colonising countries. Using the Country Index of the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative and University of Zurich’s Colonial Transformation Dataset, we find that colonised countries are more climate vulnerable than non-colonised countries. However, we find no significant relationship between the duration of colonisation, period of independence, and intensity of political domination on heightened climate vulnerability. These results indicate that regardless of the characteristics of the period of colonisation, being colonised is an important factor related to the vulnerability of countries to climate change.