Environmental justice at its core

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. In other words, environmental justice means that all people should be treated equally even with the brunt of environmental degradation. Environmental racism however was the root cause for the coining of the term "environmental justice". Environmental racism is when certain people, many BIPOC or (Black Indigeneous People Of Color),  face the impacts of environmental degradation disproportionately. Here is an example of environmental racism from Microsoft News: an estimated 70% of contaminated waste sites are located in low-income neighborhoods, and an upwards of 2 million Americans live within a mile of sites that are vulnerable to flooding — the majority of which are in Black and brown communities. I have even personally viewed environmental racism in the state of North Carolina. The wood pellet company, Enviva Biomass, has a factory in Northampton County that is located in a disproportionately black and brown community.

There are many more examples of environmental racism that are probably all around you. It is simply a matter of noticing. This is another reason why advocating for environmental justice is so important; many people are unaware it is all around them.

Below are some resources to continue to learn more about climate justice and take action:
A focus on US Climate Justice Policy
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Climate Justice United Nations
NRDC: The Environmental Justice Movement

Three Main Types of Environmental Justice: Distributive, Procedural, and a "Sense" of Justice (NINA)

There are many ways in which the concept of environmental justice can be understood, but one widely recognized framework categorizes it into three main types: distributive justice, procedural justice, and a "sense" of justice.
  • Distributive justice refers to the fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens among different groups of people. This type of justice is concerned with ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to access clean air, water, and other natural resources, and that the negative impacts of pollution and other environmental hazards are not disproportionately felt by certain groups of people, such as low-income and minority communities.
  • Procedural justice, on the other hand, is focused on the processes and procedures used to make decisions about the environment. This type of justice is concerned with ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in the decision-making process and that decisions are made in an inclusive and transparent manner. This can include things like providing public notice and comment periods, as well as ensuring that the voices of traditionally marginalized communities are heard and taken into account.
  • Finally, the "sense" of justice refers to the emotional and psychological impact of environmental conditions on individuals and communities. This type of justice is concerned with ensuring that people feel safe and respected in their environment, and that they have a sense of control over their surroundings. This can include things like ensuring that people have access to green spaces and other natural areas, as well as addressing issues like environmental racism and discrimination that can create feelings of alienation and powerlessness.

Overall, all three types of environmental justice are important and interconnected, and they all play a role in creating a fair and equitable society.


Communities That Are the Most Affected by Climate Change
The core problem that causes environmental injustice is that some communities are disproportionately more affected than others. This is unfair as often the communities that are the most affected are not causing the biggest climatic problems. Many of these communities have already embraced a sustainable lifestyle yet they are the most affected. Here are some real-world examples:
  • Indigenous Communities At Or Close To The Arctic (Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Russia, and other northern countries)
    • Many of the communities that live in these cold regions are facing unprecedented changes their habitat. Warming in these areas is occurring at twice the rate as compared to other parts of the globe. Sea ice is receding faster than ever which is leading to changing patterns of native animals' presence. Thus, not only are these communities' habitats warming but they are slowly losing their ways of life, their culture, and their identities. Read more HERE
  • Low-Income Communities 
    • Low-income communities are immensely impacted by climate change. These communities often do not have the means of move or evacuate. No matter what the impact of climate change may be, their income serves as a barrier to their protection. Low-income communities often include indigenous people and communities of color. They often lack adequate government protection and climate change is only bolstering the injustices they have to face. Read more HERE
  • Coastline Communities
    • Climate change has catalyzed a variety of problems. From the environmental issues pages you may remember that rising sea levels is one of the many consequences of climate change. I live by the coast and rising sea levels is a real problem. Due to global warming, the polar ice caps melt leading to this phenomenon. This is another example of environmental injustice as coastline communities are not the only communities contributing to climate change. However, rising sea levels primarily affects coastline communities. Read more HERE
  • Developing Countries
    • While this does focus on communities that face environmental injustice, countries are also communities. Developing countries are often blamed for being unable to reach international goals such as those from the United Nations. However, developing countries are still industrializing. Developed countries, such as the United States, have contributed the most to climate change yet our progress is minimal. Again, the worst effects of climate change are upon these developing countries. They do not have technologies like air filters, air conditioning, and proper healthcare which makes them vulnerable. Read more HERE.

Environmental Injustice Examples:
  • Food Deserts: A problem where there is not nearby access to quality or reasonably priced foods. This can often force certain people to travel longer distances to get access to healthy food or pay premiums for it.
  • Pollution: Oftentimes, certain communities are more predisposed to health problems due to the environment around them. Factories and industrial plants are often situated close to low-income neighborhoods further exacerbating injustice.
  • Community Investment: Certain communities may have less government investment making them unsafe or areas prone to suspicious activity. This can also lead to the stereotyping of members of these communities or of the respective area.
  • Inadequate Transportation: This is often a result of poor community investment.

From Banks and Tanks to Cooperation and Caring (Great Zine!)

There are also two files below to use as resources for climate justice.
Climate Justice Prompt With Tips and Resources for Action
File Size: 227 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Environmental Protect Agency Presentation on Environmental Justice
File Size: 1271 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

GENTRIFICATION

Gentrification is the process by which wealthier people move into lower-income neighborhoods, leading to the displacement of long-time residents and the alteration of the neighborhood's character. It is often seen as a negative force in urban areas, as it can lead to the displacement of low-income and minority communities. These communities are often pushed out of their neighborhoods and into less desirable areas, which can have a significant negative impact on their quality of life. It is important to stop gentrification in order to protect the rights and well-being of these communities.

Gentrification also relates to environmental justice in that it can exacerbate existing environmental inequalities. Low-income and minority communities are often disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards, such as pollution and toxic waste. When these communities are displaced by gentrification, they may be forced to move to areas with even worse environmental conditions. This can lead to a cycle of environmental injustice, in which these communities are continually exposed to harmful environmental conditions and are unable to access the resources and opportunities they need to improve their situation. Stopping gentrification can help to break this cycle and promote environmental justice.

If you have no, a little, or a lot of time

If you have no time

• Donate and support climate justice movements
• Talk about climate justice with your family
• Always treat everyone, regardless of their identity, equally

If you have a little time

• Attend climate justice events in your local area
• Read a little bit about the issue (this could include the resources above)
• Become a part of growing climate justice networks such as the Power Shift Network
• Educate others about climate justice
• Learn new climate justice vocabulary

If you have A lot of time

• • Get a leadership position in a major climate justice group
• Give speeches on climate justice in your area
• Set up local events relating to climate justice even including BIPOC guest speakers
• Implement climate justice initiatives through your workspace
• Attend the Sierra Student Coalition's, 8-week Climate Justice Academy (I did this, it was very insightful)
• Protest against facilities near black and brown communities