A Rapid Review of the Impacts of Climate Change on the Queer Community

Background: Climate change exacerbates the marginalization of already vulnerable communities. The queer community is one such group impacted by climate change and by the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters globally. This review sought to identify the impacts of climate change on the queer community. Methods: Web of Science, Scopus, Medline, GreenFILE, and IBSS databases were searched systematically. Keywords relating to climate change and the queer community were used to search for articles published in the last 10 years. Peer-reviewed journal articles that drew on empirical primary or secondary research, regardless of discipline, were included. Results: Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria and themes across the included articles were identified, explored, and discussed. A review of these articles determined that inappropriate and inadequate provision of postdisaster aid emerged as the most salient impact of climate change on the queer community, as well as the added impact of intersecting identities. However, the queer community engaged in collective strategies that facilitated resilience in the face of climate disasters. Discussion: The findings of this review suggest not only changes to policy and practice to make disaster management more inclusive, but also suggest possible models of community support that can be replicated across various social groups.