Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice: Equal treatment and involvement towards environmental rules, regulations, and enforcement regardless of an individual’s or community’s identity. 

The Environmental Justice movement began in response to environmental racism impacting public health, transportation, civil rights laws, and more. This movement is represented by grassroots groups, networks, and leaders to challenge the primary environmental protection model. The movement took off with protests during 1983 in Warren County, North Carolina due to placement of hazardous landfill waste, and as a response the Commission for Racial Justice created its first Toxic Waste and Race Report. This further led to The First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in 1991 and the adoption of seven “Principles of Environmental Justice”.  In 1994, as public concern over environmental racism began to increase in response to scientific evidence, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12898, “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations”. This order supports the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI, and focused the spotlight back on 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The environmental justice movement is helping to create a global image on the environmental and economic justice movement (Bullard 2009).

 

Further readings: 

Bullard, Robert. “Environmental Racism in the 21st Century.” The Colors of Nature, Milkweed      

Production, 2009, pp. 90–97.

“Environmental Justice.” Environmental Justice – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, 

www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/environmental-justice.

“Environmental Justice.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 2 Apr. 2019, 

www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice.

“Learn About Environmental Justice.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 7 Nov. 2018, 

www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/learn-about-environmental-justice.