Structural Inequities and Stakeholder Perceptions: Climate Change Attribution Science in the Aftermath of Hurricane Ida

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Abstract

Drawing on environmental justice theory and intersectionality, this qualitative study investigates how stakeholders perceive the role of human-induced climate change in shaping disaster impacts following Hurricane Ida (2021). We employ semi-structured interviews (n=130) with marginalized Gulf Coast residents, policymakers, and Non-Governmental Organizations in South Louisiana, to interrogate disparities in risk perception and the alignment of these narratives with attribution science. The research anchors its analysis in critical disaster studies to reveal how race, institutional mandates, neoliberal recovery frameworks, and colonial land-use legacies compound vulnerabilities for communities of color and low-income populations.

Hurricane Ida’s devastation underscores the entrenchment of structural inequalities in disaster governance. Preliminary findings reveal stark divergences: marginalized groups frame climate-driven disasters as direct consequences of institutional neglect and unequal resource distribution, while institutional actors prioritize short-term, market-driven recovery—a reflection of corporate influence and austerity politics. These misalignments are analyzed through narrative coding and comparative discourse analysis, contrasting stakeholder accounts with peer-reviewed attribution studies to qualitatively analyze the gaps between localized climate experiences and policy responses.

This study contributes to sociological discussions on how knowledge about climate change is produced by prioritizing the perspectives of marginalized communities and examining how market-driven approaches often dominate resilience planning. Methodologically, the research employs a collaborative approach, working directly with affected communities to explore how scientific findings can better reflect their lived realities. The findings will outline practical strategies for fair and inclusive governance, such as funding mechanisms that address historical inequities and adaptation plans shaped by the communities most impacted. By combining insights from environmental sociology, critical race theory, and climate science, this work urges scholars to critically analyze the economic and political systems that deepen disaster vulnerabilities and to rethink climate justice through a lens that acknowledges overlapping social inequalities.

Author

• Teye Yevuyibor, Louisiana State University