The Geography of Environmental Justice

Environmental racism refers to the systemic discrimination that results in marginalized communities being disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards and deprived of environmental benefits.

Environmental justice issues can manifest in various forms, including air pollution, deforestation, climate change impacts, and other environmental hazards that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

The environmental justice movement emerged as an extension of the Civil Rights Movement, recognizing the environmental disparities faced by marginalized communities.

The 1992 report titled 'The Color of Pollution' by the United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice highlighted the racial disparities in environmental hazards and sparked national awareness of environmental racism.

Redlining is a discriminatory practice that historically denied mortgages and other financial services to residents of certain neighborhoods, often resulting in the concentration of polluting facilities in those areas.

The 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development affirmed environmental justice as a human right, emphasizing the need for equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens.

Environmental displacement refers to the forced relocation of communities due to environmental factors such as pollution, climate change, or natural disasters, often leading to social and economic hardships.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary federal agency responsible for enforcing environmental justice laws and regulations, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

Environmental gentrification refers to the process where environmental regulations and policies lead to the displacement of marginalized communities and the influx of higher-income residents, often resulting in increased property values and environmental amenities.

The 1998 Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters is an international agreement that promotes environmental justice by ensuring public participation in environmental decision-making and access to environmental information.

Environmental racism involves the intentional siting of polluting facilities in areas with less political power and resources, often resulting in disproportionate environmental burdens for marginalized communities.

California was the first U.S. state to adopt an environmental justice law in 1999, known as the California Environmental Justice Act, which aims to address environmental disparities and promote environmental justice.

Toxic colonialism refers to the practice of developed countries relocating polluting industries to developing countries, often with lax environmental regulations, resulting in environmental degradation and health risks for local communities.

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is an international agreement that aims to reduce and eliminate the production, use, and release of POPs, which are harmful chemicals that persist in the environment and can have adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Indigenous Environmental Justice refers to the specific environmental challenges and injustices faced by Indigenous communities, including the loss of traditional lands, contamination of traditional food sources, and the disproportionate impacts of climate change.