New research has shown that the climate crisis is hitting the world’s poorest people the hardest, with tropical regions being among the last to benefit even if global emissions are reduced to net zero. Scientists from Australia found that tropical areas have already experienced more significant temperature increases compared to historical levels than regions in wealthier countries, such as those in Europe and North America. This inequality, they say, would persist for many decades even if the world reached a point where emissions are balanced by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — a goal outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, was led by Dr. Andrew King from the University of Melbourne. The research used three sets of computer models to predict temperature changes if global emissions reached net zero, and then overlaid the results with data on countries’ economic wealth. According to Dr. King, the regions that have contributed the least to climate change — often the poorest — are the ones most affected by rising temperatures. He emphasized that even after reaching net zero, the damage caused by past emissions will have long-lasting effects. "We can’t easily undo all that damage," he said. The timing of reaching net zero, he added, is crucial in limiting long-term warming and the resulting inequality. Tropical ecosystems, such as coral reefs, are especially vulnerable because they have evolved in narrower temperature ranges. These areas will remain highly affected for longer, even as the world reduces emissions. Meanwhile, a separate report by the United Nations refugee agency highlighted how the climate crisis is increasing the risk of people becoming stateless — individuals without a recognized nationality. The report, commissioned by the agency and released alongside the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness, warned that climate-related disasters, such as floods and rising sea levels, could displace people and strip them of their legal status. The report estimated that around 4.5 million people are currently stateless, but the true number is likely much higher, as these individuals often go unnoticed in official records. It called for measures such as digitizing citizenship records and ensuring children receive citizenship even if their parents are displaced or unable to pass it on. University of Melbourne Associate Professor Radha Govil, a co-author of the report, said the recommendations are achievable and could help prevent the growing risk of statelessness. "They can stave off this risk and get ahead of this problem," she said.