Environmental Justice and Environmental Politics

What is Environmental Justice?

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. Fair treatment means no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies.

What is Environmental Politics?

Environmental politics is the study of political theories and ideas related to the environment, the examination of the environmental stances of both mainstream political parties and environmental social movements, and the analysis of public policymaking and implementation affecting the environment at multiple geopolitical levels.

Why is it Important?

Our environment affects us in ways that we can’t imagine, so when your environment is polluted and unsafe the effects can be vast. When there are environmental issues in your area, you might think to leave, but when these issues are centered in low-income and minority communities they may not have the resources to relocate. Many of these communities are also under-represented in our government, so their issues are often not the top priority. By remembering that your voice, vote, and beliefs matter you can help to promote environmental justice and equity.

Politicians propose, support, and create laws or policies that govern the land and, by extension, its people. These laws and policies can affect the environment in beneficial or harmful ways. For example, subsidies towards non-renewable vs. renewable forms of energy can change our rate of production of greenhouse gases, which affects the rate of climate change.

What Can You Do to be More Informed?

• Look at the stances of the political leaders in your state.
• Visit the Environment North Carolina is a Democrat-affiliated political action group centered around environmental issues in North Carolina.
• ConservAmerica is a Republican-affiliated political action group for nation-wide environmental issues.
• Read about current and past news about environmental health in North Carolina at North Carolina Health News.

What Could An Event Look Like?

• Call local representatives to raise awareness for an environmental issue in our community. This could also be partnered with a voter registration drive.
• Partner with the social justice advocate and/or multicultural advisor of your community to make a program that incorporates intersectionality and inclusiveness with environmental matters. How are neighborhoods with higher populations of people of color affected differently by various environmental issues?
• Invite a group, organization, professor or spokesperson to come talk to your residents about environmental issues across the globe and how they are handled.
• Host an event where you give out “political report cards” concerning the environment for the upcoming local election.
• Have an “environment in politics” trivia night. How much do you know?