Prof. Dr. Irk Ferenc webpage

PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER PAPERS

2025

Under construction...

Irk F. (2025). Megbüntethetetlen bűnök III. Klímaválság a viktimológia hálójában. Miskolc, Bíbor Kiadó. 172 p.

Irk, F. (2025). Unpunishable Sins III. Climate Crisis in the Net of Victimology. Miskolc, Bíbor. 172 p.

ISBN 978-615-6387-44-8

SUMMARY

Global climate change and the climate crisis are among the most complex and

serious challenges that modern societies face. The aim of this book is to present

the social, economic and legal dimensions of climate change, especially its effects

on vulnerable communities. Climate change is not just an environmental issue: but

also has significant implications for social inequalities, economic structures, and

international politics.

This book first addresses the issue of redefining the victims of climate change.

Climate change will radically transform not only the natural environment, but also

people’s lives, particularly those communitiesin already disadvantaged communities.

It is essential for social justice that climate policies take these vulnerabilities into

account and share the burden of protection and adaptation in an equitable manner.

Groups such as indigenous peoples, children, women and the poor are particularly

vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change. Increasing social inequalities

and vulnerabilities show that climate change also poses a complex social challenge.

The main cause of global warming is the emission of greenhouse gases from

human activities, in particular carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of fossil

fuels. Since the Industrial Revolution, these emissions have increased dramatically,

leading to a rise in global average temperatures. Climate change measures are

therefore focused on reducing greenhouse gases, particularly in the energy, industry

and agriculture sectors.

Climate change affects different parts of the world unevenly and leaves the poorest

and most marginalized communities particularly vulnerable. Extreme weather

events, such as heat waves, floods, droughts and hurricanes, are becoming more

frequent and are seriously affecting the livelihoods, food security and health of these

communities. Climate change exacerbates existing socio-economic inequalities, as

richer countries and communities are better prepared to deal with the changes, while

poorer regions have fewer resources to help them adapt. The social impacts of

climate change include the phenomenon of climate migration, in which millions

of people are forced to leave their homes due to climate change. The increasing

frequency of natural disasters forces people from affected regions to seek new

places, generating new social and economic tensions both in their

home communities and migrationhost communities. These migration waves

further exacerbate global inequalities and pose a challenge to the international

community in addressing humanitarian crises. Climate change induced migration

may lead to geopolitical tensions as states deal with increasing migratory

pressures and cross-border humanitarian issues.

An important theme of the book is the categorization of climate change-related

risks. Climate change impacts several spheres, including the health, economic,

environmental and geopolitical spheres. Health risks include heat-related diseases,

vector-borne infections, and epidemics caused by contaminated water and food.

From an economic perspective, climate change may lead to volatile food and energy

prices, job losses and increased social unrest. Geopolitical risks are also significant,

as climate change creates new sources of conflict, particularly due to competition for

energy and water resources.

The issue of legal and political responsibility in tackling climate change is also

becoming increasingly important. In the interests of climate justice, a growing

number of climate lawsuits are being filed against large corporations and governments

responsible for harmful emissions. The number of other climate change related

legal cases is also rising, highlighting the need to transform the international legal

framework. The development of new forms of climate liability and the introduction

of “loss and damage” mechanisms offer opportunities to provide financial and

technical support to the most vulnerable communities.

Climate change therefore not only affects environmental systems, but also

fundamentally transforms social, economic and political frameworks. Understanding

the complex network of climate risks is essential for the development of effective

and just climate policies. The fight against climate change therefore requires not

only technological solutions, but also profound social transformations that take

into account social justice and human rights. The development of a global climate

strategy can only be successful if all stakeholders are involved and social, cultural

and economic differences are taken into account in the search for solutions.

Keywords: climate crisis, criminology, victimology, risk, climate crimes, responsibility,

victim, compensation, adaptation, network, relationships of consequences