Environmental Injustice

Definition

Environmental injustice refers to the disproportionate exposure of marginalized communities to environmental hazards, pollution, and lack of access to environmental resources and benefits. It highlights the unequal distribution of environmental burdens and the systemic disadvantages faced by vulnerable populations.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Environmental injustice often disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color, who are more likely to live near polluting industries, waste facilities, and other environmental hazards.
2. Factors contributing to environmental injustice include historical patterns of residential segregation, zoning policies that concentrate polluting industries in marginalized areas, and the lack of political power and influence among affected communities.
3. The impacts of environmental injustice can include higher rates of respiratory illnesses, cancer, and other health problems, as well as reduced access to clean air, water, and other natural resources.
4. Environmental injustice is a global phenomenon, with similar patterns of disproportionate environmental burdens observed in both developed and developing countries.
5. Addressing environmental injustice requires a multifaceted approach, including policy changes, community empowerment, and collaborative efforts between government, industry, and affected communities.

Review Questions

• Explain how environmental injustice is linked to issues of social and economic inequality.
  • Environmental injustice is closely tied to broader issues of social and economic inequality. Marginalized communities, often characterized by low-income, racial and ethnic minority populations, are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards and lack of access to environmental resources. This is a result of historical patterns of residential segregation, discriminatory zoning policies, and the concentration of polluting industries in these areas. The unequal distribution of environmental burdens exacerbates existing socioeconomic disparities, leading to poorer health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and further entrenchment of systemic inequalities.
• Describe the role of community engagement and empowerment in addressing environmental injustice.
  • Addressing environmental injustice requires meaningful community engagement and empowerment of affected populations. This involves ensuring that marginalized communities have a voice in decision-making processes related to environmental policies, regulations, and the siting of hazardous facilities. It also involves building the capacity of these communities to advocate for their rights, access information, and participate in environmental decision-making. By empowering communities to actively engage in these processes, environmental injustice can be more effectively identified, challenged, and remedied through collaborative efforts between government, industry, and community stakeholders.
• Analyze the role of intersectionality in understanding and addressing environmental injustice.
  • Environmental injustice is an intersectional issue, where multiple forms of marginalization and oppression intersect to create disproportionate environmental burdens. Factors such as race, socioeconomic status, gender, and other identity markers shape an individual's or community's vulnerability to environmental hazards and access to environmental resources. Addressing environmental injustice requires an intersectional approach that recognizes the complex and interconnected nature of these issues. This involves examining how different forms of systemic discrimination and power imbalances contribute to environmental injustice, and developing holistic solutions that address the root causes and multiple dimensions of the problem. By embracing an intersectional perspective, policymakers, activists, and community members can more effectively identify and dismantle the underlying structures that perpetuate environmental injustice.

Related terms

Environmental Racism: The intentional or unintentional targeting of racial and ethnic minority communities for the placement of toxic and hazardous facilities, leading to disparities in environmental health and quality of life.

Environmental Justice:

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.

Environmental Equity: The equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens across all segments of society, ensuring that no group or community bears a disproportionate share of environmental harms.