ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY? RACISM? JUSTICE ?

1. ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY? RACISM? JUSTICE ?

2. Environmental Justice in America: A New Paradigm Edwardo L. Rhodes

3. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?WHY WRITE A BOOK ABOUT IT?

4. Questions • Do minority communities and individuals face higher levels of environmental risk than the majority population ? • Is this increased risk the result of environmental racism? Environmental inequity? Environmental injustice? • Is race a determining factor in assessing exposure to environmental risk, and is this exposure deliberate?

5. Questions-II • Is environmental justice only about race and ethnicity? • Why has the environmental policy discussion tended to be so homogeneous?

6. Current Assessment • In the U.S., some types of hazardous material disposal sites (landfills or incinerators) are more likely to be located in or near minority communities. • Minorities have very low representation, in both decision-making and staff positions within environmental/natural resource agencies and regulatory bodies at all levels of government.

7. Current Assessment II • Minorities have little representation on the governing boards or staff of the major national non-governmental environmental organizations (Sierra Club, Greenpeace, FoE, and EDF). • Current federal and most state environmental legislation ignores issues of differentiated impact ofenvironmental policies or activities

8. A New Paradigm • Environmental Justice issues involve a paradigm shift within the environmental movement in this country and almost certainly the rest of the world. • Environmental Justice is not now a major international policy issue..

9. 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.

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

11. Meaningful involvement means • people have an opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health; • the public contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision; • their concerns will be considered in the decision making process; and • the decision makers seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.

12. What is the Problem?Nationally? • The impact of environmental policies and decisions have differentiated impacts across population groups • This definition applies to not just the United States, but any national entity. • The example of the Czech Republic and hazardous waste sites • Most countries have utterly no idea what environmental justice is nor have any mechanism for addressing EJ issues

13. Examples • Haiti and much of the developed Western Hemisphere • Environmental neglect in New Orleans • The former East German Republic and its neighbors • Philippines Islands and Japan • Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe

14. National Policy Alternatives • Improving information exchange? Knowledge is power and leverage • National or state environmental justice legislation or regulation • Non-governmental action groups or agenda setting

15. Outcomes and Futures • EJ resolution cannot solve all the world’s social/economic justice problems • International EJ issues may be the next great world policy issue