THE SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY

The complex relationship between linguistic diversity and climate change is a multifaceted phenomenon. Climate change has a direct and indirect impact on the preservation of the languages of small ethnic groups around the world. The spatial dimensions of climate change, including the disruption of ecosystems and cultures that support linguistic diversity, pose a significant threat to their continued existence (Bose 2017). Climate change may lead to changes in the range and contraction of the distribution of plant and animal species, which may disrupt the pollinator-plant system that are critical to the ecosystems and communities supporting these languages (G & oacute;mez-Ruiz and Lacher 2019). This can lead to the loss of important food sources as well as the displacement of local populations who rely on these natural resources for livelihoods and cultural practices. The research seeks to identify patterns, correlations and causal relationships between climate-related environmental change and the loss or transformation of languages, particularly those spoken by small or indigenous communities. Methodology outlines a comprehensive approach to research how climate change affects linguistic diversity in different regions of the world, with an emphasis on spatial analysis. One of the aims of the study is to map the geographical distribution of endangered languages and regions highly vulnerable to climate change. Spatial correlations between climate change impacts (eg sea level rise, desertification) and linguistic diversity are analysed. The research questions that have been addressed are which regions of high linguistic diversity are most affected by climate change? How do climate-induced environmental changes lead to the displacement of language communities? What spatial patterns can be observed between areas of high climate vulnerability and high linguistic diversity?