Environmental Justice

Definition

Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. It aims to ensure that all communities, especially marginalized and disadvantaged ones, have equal access to a clean and healthy environment.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The environmental justice movement emerged in the 1980s in response to the disproportionate siting of toxic waste facilities and other polluting industries in low-income and minority communities.
2. Indigenous groups, such as Native Americans, Alaskans, and Hawaiians, have long advocated for environmental justice due to the threats posed by resource extraction, pollution, and climate change to their traditional lands and ways of life.
3. The principle of free, prior, and informed consent is a key tenet of environmental justice, which requires that indigenous communities be consulted and give their approval before any development projects are undertaken on their lands.
4. Environmental justice organizations often work to empower marginalized communities to participate in decision-making processes related to environmental policies and projects that affect them.
5. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has an Office of Environmental Justice that works to address environmental inequities and ensure fair treatment for all communities.

Review Questions

• Explain how the concept of environmental justice relates to the civil rights of indigenous groups, such as Native Americans, Alaskans, and Hawaiians.
  • The environmental justice movement recognizes that indigenous communities often bear a disproportionate burden of environmental harms, such as pollution, resource extraction, and the impacts of climate change, due to their close ties to the land and reliance on natural resources for their livelihoods and cultural practices. Environmental justice seeks to ensure that the rights and interests of these marginalized groups are protected, and that they have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their environments and ways of life. This includes the principle of free, prior, and informed consent, which requires that indigenous communities be consulted and give their approval before any development projects are undertaken on their lands.
• Analyze how the environmental justice movement has empowered indigenous communities to participate in environmental decision-making processes.
  • The environmental justice movement has provided a framework and tools for indigenous communities to advocate for their rights and interests in environmental decision-making. By highlighting the disproportionate environmental burdens faced by these communities, the movement has helped to raise awareness and amplify their voices. Environmental justice organizations often work to build the capacity of indigenous groups to engage in policy-making, regulatory processes, and legal challenges related to environmental issues that impact their lands and resources. This has enabled these communities to have a greater say in the development and implementation of environmental laws, regulations, and policies that affect them, helping to ensure more equitable and just outcomes.
• Evaluate the role of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice in addressing the environmental challenges faced by indigenous communities.
  • The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice plays a critical role in addressing the environmental challenges faced by indigenous communities. The office works to ensure that these marginalized groups have equal access to a clean and healthy environment, and that their concerns are integrated into the development and enforcement of environmental policies and regulations. This includes providing funding and technical assistance to support indigenous-led environmental initiatives, collaborating with tribal governments and organizations, and investigating cases of environmental discrimination or inequities. By elevating the voices and needs of indigenous communities, the Office of Environmental Justice helps to promote environmental justice and uphold the civil rights of these groups, which is essential for protecting their traditional lands, resources, and ways of life.

Related terms

Environmental Racism: The disproportionate exposure of racial and ethnic minority communities to environmental hazards and pollutants.

Environmental Equity: The fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens across all segments of society.

Environmental Disparities: The unequal distribution of environmental risks, such as exposure to pollution or access to natural resources, that disadvantages certain communities.