Two Storms, One System: The Interwoven Realities of Climate and Digital Vulnerabilities

by Alexis Speck Glennon, DSW, LCSW-R, Leah Prussia, DSW, LICSW, and Julie Muñoz-Nájar, LSW, MSW

     Social workers are increasingly stepping into a forecast of storms, shifting signals, and urgent heat breaks, finding themselves at the intersection of environmental and technological challenges. To set the stage, this article will provide today’s social workers with definitions of digital vulnerability and climate vulnerability. We’ll also shine a spotlight on the powerful justice movement, thunderous yet full of hope, working to address these inequities. Finally, the authors will trace sea level rise and data pathways to where these two forms of vulnerability intersect and impact communities. By reading ahead, our goal is that you will have a clearer view of how to chart a steady course for the action-oriented activity in Part 2 of this series. 

     Let’s start things off with some definitions and examples to ground ourselves in the conversation.

Digital Vulnerability

     Digital vulnerability describes a condition in which individuals or groups who are intentionally marginalized hold less power, leaving them more vulnerable to risks, exploitation, or harm within digital spaces. In other words, the digital world can mirror and even magnify the unfair power imbalances people already experience in everyday life.

Example: A city’s homelessness management system shares client data (mental health history, substance abuse history, and criminal justice involvement) with law enforcement agencies under a “public safety” agreement. Clients are not informed, and the data is used to justify more policing in shelters and encampments.

Climate Vulnerability

     Climate vulnerability describes the degree to which natural, built, and human systems are at risk of exposure to climate change impacts. Natural systems such as oceans, flora, fauna, and forests are at risk of depletion as a result of climate shifts. Human-made systems such as roads, bridges, energy grids, and buildings can be threatened by events like flooding. In addition, human systems such as housing, food accessibility, and internet access are at risk when climate events occur, increasing vulnerability and widening existing disparities.

Example 1: Climate change impacts more than human health for Tribal and First Nations peoples. Extreme weather events disrupt interconnected cycles that touch relationships, cultural practices, and ceremonies. Gathering sap each Ziigwan (Spring) is about relationship renewal with Ininaatig—the maple tree—that provides both spiritual and physical sustenance throughout the year. Drought puts Ininaatig at risk and interrupts seasonal practices. In 2024, an Anishinaabe elder asked communities to refrain from Ziigwan gathering during the drought to ensure the wellness of the trees. The changing environment threatens Tribal communities’ health, kinship ties, and cultural lifeways.

Example 2: Because of redlining, Black communities, particularly in urban and industrial areas, often reside in environments with high levels of pollution. These areas, sometimes referred to as “sacrifice zones,” are frequently sites for toxic waste facilities, power plants, refineries, and major highways. As a result, residents are exposed to elevated concentrations of pollutants such as particulate matter and ozone, leading to higher incidences of respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis. Climate change exacerbates these health disparities by worsening air quality and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events. 

     Some further examples:

Tech Justice

     Tech justice (TJ) refers to the work that must be done to make technology accessible, inclusive, and community-owned. This work challenges social structures by developing technology or creating a social movement to address an outcome where technology is fairer and more inclusive, often including activities such as tech democracy, data justice, digital rights, and AI ethics.

     Here are some examples of folks engaging in tech justice worldwide:

Environmental Justice

     Environmental justice (EJ) refers to the work that needs to be done to address social disparities in environmental exposures and health. The goal of EJ is to prevent and address environmental injustices in communities, while promoting the principle that all individuals and communities have the right to live and thrive in healthy environments.

     Here are some stories and examples of people putting environmental justice into action across the globe.

     The intersection of digital and climate vulnerability reveals how systemic inequities can be compounded to create larger negative impacts. Social workers are better prepared to work alongside communities if they acknowledge and understand all the factors impacting people.

Example: Communities most affected by climate change, such as low-income, rural, and/or Tribal populations, often lack reliable internet access or accessible digital tools to receive emergency alerts or disaster relief resources. This digital divide deepens the harm experienced by communities during climate events and limits the room for healing and resilience.

     As this overview comes to a close, it’s clear that people are facing increasingly complex challenges where technology and environmental issues intersect. By understanding digital vulnerability and climate vulnerability, social workers gain the insight needed to anticipate risks and support those most affected by these intersecting forces.

     The justice movements highlighted throughout this article serve as powerful reminders that change is possible and that collective efforts can reduce inequities. Recognizing how these vulnerabilities overlap and impact communities educates social workers on ways to respond and collaborate with impacted communities. 

     With knowledge as your satellite and advocacy as your compass, we hope you are better prepared to stand firm in the rain, harness the power of the wind, and help clear the skies and servers to create pathways toward a more equitable future. Join us in Part 2 as we explore how social workers can imagine new possibilities and play with ideas to advance both tech and environmental justice!

References 

Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission. (n.d.). Climate change program: Vulnerability assessment. https://glifwc.org/stewardship/climate-change-program#vulnerability-assessment

International Indian Treaty Council. (n.d.). About IEN. Indigenous Environmental Network. https://www.ienearth.org/about/

Milman, O. (2019, April 4). South Bronx residents suffer disproportionate pollution burden. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/04/new-york-south-bronx-minorities-pollution-inequity

Mashable. (2021, October 11). Why the digital divide persists for Tribal areas despite funding. https://mashable.com/article/why-the-digital-divide-persists-for-tribal-areas-despite-funding

The People’s Justice Council. (2020, November 9). The unequal burden: Climate change’s impact on Black communities & solutions. https://www.thepeoplesjusticecouncil.org/post/the-unequal-burden-climate-change-s-impact-on-black-communities-solutions

Rural Rise. (n.d.). Prioritizing climate resilience in rural broadband development. https://www.ruralrise.org/prioritizing-climate-resilience-in-rural-broadband-development/

Alexis Speck Glennon, DSW, LCSW-R, is an Assistant Professor at St. Bonaventure University and a clinician in private practice who is creative and transformative in her work. She is equally passionate about trauma theory and tech trends, using them to inform tech justice work and prepare future changemakers and people she supports on their healing journey.

Julie Muñoz-Nájar, LSW, MSW, is an energetic, forward-thinking Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana.  Her advocacy crosses social work, technology, and every kind of justice. One of her favorite mottos sits on the bookshelf in her office—a sign gifted by her supervisor that reads, “Create the things you wish existed,” which mirrors her passion for having fun while accomplishing serious work (preferably with snacks).

Leah Prussia, DSW, LICSW, is an Associate Professor at the College of St. Scholastica and practicing clinician with a small private practice, Natural Connections. Leah’s work focuses on fostering mind/body and personal/planetary relationships through neuroregulation and collaboration with the natural environment. Leah is involved with Rights of Nature and is presently working with a collective, Waankam, to secure rights for the St. Louis River Estuary.