Definition of Environmental Justice:
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) defines environmental justice as “…when all people equally experience high levels of environmental protection and no group or community is excluded from the environmental policy decision-making process, nor is affected by a disproportionate impact from environmental hazards. Environmental justice affirms the ecological unity and the interdependence of all species, respect for cultural and biological diversity, and the right to be free from ecological destruction. This includes responsible use of ecological resources, including the land, water, air, and food.” The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies that the goal of environmental justice can be achieved when everyone enjoys:
The same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and
Equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work
The Problem:
Data from the United States Centers for Disease Control finds that people from racial and ethnic minority, low-income, and indigenous communities are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards. These hazards can include environmental pollutants and climate-related events. As the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) states, “While the climate crisis impacts all of us, those who are marginalized or oppressed are experiencing it to an even greater extent, creating climate injustice for people and our planet. Much of the burden of unsustainable consumption patterns has fallen disproportionately on the most vulnerable people in the world, who typically have the smallest consumption patterns. In addition, these vulnerable people receive fewer of the benefits of the environmental resources. These collective patterns of unsustainable consumption contribute to the climate crisis, making it a global justice issue for people and the planet, this is known as climate injustice.” Examples of Economic Injustices:
Air Pollution disproportionately affects people from racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States.
On average, people of color make up 56% of the population living in neighborhoods with Toxic Release Inventory facilities, compared to 30% elsewhere
People of color are more likely to die of environmental causes, and more than half of the people who live close to hazardous waste are people of color.
People from racial and ethnic minority groups are also more likely to live in urban heat islands, which are urban areas that experience higher temperatures due to pavement and concrete trapping and re-emitting heat from the sun.
African Americans are 75% more likely than White people to live in “fence-line” communities (areas near commercial facilities that produce noise, odor, traffic, or emissions that directly affect the population)
Low-income communities are more likely to be exposed to climate change threats (e.g., flooding, storms, and droughts) due to inadequate housing and infrastructure
Due to uneven distribution patterns, minority and low-income communities have far less access to green spaces than white, affluent communities and have limited resources to maintain the green spaces they do have.
Communities with lower incomes are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards, such as proximity to locations contaminated by hazardous waste and are more likely to have older homes that may have asbestos or lead paint and pipes.
(Bullard et al., 2008; National Environmental Public Health Tracking, n.d.; Wolch et al., 2014; University of Maryland, n.d.)
Historical Origin:
While it is not clear precisely when the American environmental justice movement developed, the origin of it can be traced back to the emergence of the American Civil Rights movement and the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Movement alerted about the public health dangers for people of color, their families, and their communities. However, the nationwide environmental justice movement is said to have been sparked by a protest organized by the NAACP and others that occurred in 1982 in Warren County, North Carolina. This protest was organized in opposition to a hazardous waste landfill that was proposed for a small predominantly African American community. Within this landfill, North Carolina approved for it to accept soil that was contaminated from illegal dumping by industrial organizations of toxic waste along roadways. The protest was the largest up to that date to oppose environmental injustices and led to more attention, research, and legislation regarding environmental justice.
To view a historical timeline of Environmental Justice: CLICK HERE
Social Work Involvement:
The following are organizations and initiatives that the National Association of Social Workers engage with to raise awareness and competencies for environmental justice:
References:
Bullard, R., et al. (2008) Toxic Wastes and Race at Twenty: Why Race Still Matters After All of These Years. Environmental Law, 2(38), 371-411.
Internet Encycolopedia of Philosophy. (n.d.). The American environmental justice movement. https://iep.utm.edu/enviro-j/
National Environmental Public Health Tracking. (n.d.) Environmental justice. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/tracking/topics/EnvironmentalJustice.htm Princeton Student Climate Initative. (n.d.). Racial disparities and climate change - psci. Princeton University. Retrieved October 25, 2022, from https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/8/15/racial-disparities-and-climate-change
Wolch, J., et al. (2014) “Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice.” Landscape and Urban Planning, 125, 234-244.
United Church of Christ (2022, June 17). A movement is born: Environmental justice and the UCC. https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/justice-local-church-ministries/justice/faithful-action-ministries/environmental-justice/a_movement_is_born_environmental_justice_and_the_ucc/
University of Maryland. (n.d.). Environmental justice factsheet. Center for Sustainable Systems. https://css.umich.edu/publications/factsheets/sustainability-indicators/environmental-justice-factsheet
U.S. EPA (2017) Learn About environmental justice. https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/learn-about-environmental-justice