Social Justice and Environmental Issues
February 20 is World Day of Social Justice 2024. As of this writing, 2024’s theme is yet to be determined. February 20th has commemorated World Day of Social Justice since 2007, and on June 10, 2008, the International Labour Organization (ILO) unanimously adopted the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization. Last year’s theme was “overcoming barriers and unleashing opportunities for Social Justice.” As the commemorative day approaches this year, let’s discuss environmental justice - what it is and why we should be aware of it.
The United Nations ascertains that momentum is growing for the concept that advancing social justice should be the central aim guiding all national and international policies. But what is social justice?
Encyclopedia Brittanica defines social justice as “the fair treatment and equitable status of all individuals and social groups within a state or society.” This brings us to the topic of Environmental Justice. Environmental justice, or eco-justice (EJ), is a social movement to address environmental injustice, which occurs when poor or marginalized communities are harmed by hazardous waste, resource extraction, and other land uses from which they do not benefit (Schlossberg, Oxford University Press). In this regard, environmental issues can be social justice issues as well. Environmental justice, inspired by the Civil Rights movement, became widespread in the 1980s at the intersection of environmentalism and social justice. Environmental injustice is experienced through heightened exposure to pollution and corresponding health risks, limited access to adequate environmental services, and loss of land and resource rights.
The above image shows two maps of the world’s land masses. The first map shows the countries with the highest emissions per capita in red, and the lowest emissions in blue. The second map shows the countries most vulnerable to climate change in red, and the least vulnerable in blue. Notice anything?
This graphic shows that the countries most vulnerable to climate change’s impacts contribute the least carbon dioxide emissions, and vice versa. The countries which contribute the most are also among the wealthiest in the world - according to Visual Capitalist, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Saudi Arabia are among the top 26 richest countries measuring against the metric GDP per capita (2022). These 4 countries are also among the highest emitters of carbon dioxide according to the above graphic. Adversely, as of 2024, the top ten poorest countries in the world (according to Global Finance Magazine) are all in Africa, which has the highest concentration of countries most vulnerable to climate change apart from Saudi Arabia. It is worth noting that the graphic above was compiled from data no more recent than 2011 - can you imagine how the trends have changed (or not) in the past 13 years?
Not only do the countries which contribute the least to anthropogenic climate change often appear to be the most vulnerable to its impacts, but they are often also the least prepared to mitigate these impacts or adapt to threats to food, water and human security due to lack of resources, infrastructure, viable governments, or a combination of these factors. Residents of environmentally-degraded areas do not or cannot move because of a lack of financial resources, ownership of current land, and a sense of space.
Let’s take a step back and consider the background of our modern knowledge of environmental justice issues. The University of Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems describes the Built Environment, or the human-made conditions often used in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, public health, sociology, and anthropology, among others. These curated spaces provide the setting for human activity and were created to fulfill human desires and needs (Wikipedia).
The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) was created in 1986 under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act to support emergency planning and publicize information about toxic releases. On average, people of color make up 56% of the population living in neighborhoods with TRI facilities compared to 30% elsewhere. Read more about TRI Facilities on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website.
The NAACP says it best: environmental justice is a civil rights issue. We all depend on the physical environment and its bounty. All human beings deserve equitable access to clean air and water, healthy, nutritious food, and safe spaces to live and work. The communities which contribute the least to environmental issues are often the most vulnerable to their consequences, and often lack the resources and infrastructure to mitigate these consequences, creating even more complex problems.
We can fight environmental justice issues by electing officials who represent all walks of life, fighting for equitable access to natural resources and green spaces, and creating green initiatives within poor, disadvantaged or marginalized communities. Do not turn a blind eye to environmental justice issues, and start to recognize their prevalence in your local communities. Are there parts of your city where you feel “safer,” where the air feels cleaner, or where there are more open spaces? Why might that be? If you have the privilege to do something about it, do so. Remember what Desmond Tutu said - if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.
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