Dignity Rights and Environmental Justice: Local and Global Perspectives at a Glance

1. Dignity Rights and Environmental Justice: Local and Global Perspectives at a Glance Dignity Rights and Environmental Justice: A Symposium April 13, 2018 James R. May, Esq. Distinguished Professor of Law jrmay@widener.edu

2. Topics • Dignity and EJ • What is Environmental Justice • Turning Points in EJ Movement • EJ Movement at a glance in U.S. • Global EJ • Sustainable Development Goals and EJ

3. Dignity and Environmental Justice • “Man have the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being, and he bears a solemn responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations.” --Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment

4. What is Environmental Justice? • A social movement that advocates for fair, dignified distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. Photo credit (CC license): Marianne de Wit

5. Example: Distributive Environmental (In)Justice

6. Some Turning Points: Dumping • 1965: Houston • 1982: Warren County, North Carolina • 1990’s: Chester, PA • 2000’s Wilmington Photo credit: Ricky Stilley; used with permission.

7. EJ Movement at a Glance in U.S. • 1971: President's Council on Environmental Quality acknowledges that racialdiscrimination negatively affects the quality of the environment for the urban poor. • 1983– GAO finds that ¾ of the hazardous waste disposal sites in eight southeastern states are in poor and African-American communities. • 1984: California Waste Management Board report advises siting hazardous waste facilities in small, low-income and rural communities (Los Angeles Times breaks the story to the public in 1988.) • 1987: The United Church of Christ's Commission for Racial Justice releases Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States, the first report to show that race is primary factor in siting toxic sites • 1988 - Latino grassroots group Mothers of East L.A. defeats the construction of a huge toxic waste incinerator • 1988 - In Dilkon, Arizona, Navajo community activists spearhead a successful effort to block siting of a $40 million toxic waste incinerator.

8. EJ Movement at a Glance in U.S. • 1990: Robert Bullard publishes Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental Quality • 1990: EPA establishes its Workgroup on Environmental Equity • 1991: First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit (attended by more than 650 grassroots organizations and more than 300 environmental groups): http://www.ejnet.org/ej/principles.html • 1992: Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and Sen. Al Gore (D-TN) introduce the Environmental Justice Act of 1992 in Congress. • 1994: President Clinton signs into law Executive Order 12898 to provide federal actions to address environmental justice in minority populations and low-income populations

9. EJ Movement at a Glance in U.S. • 1992: Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and Sen. Al Gore (D-TN) introduce the Environmental Justice Act of 1992 in Congress. • 1994: President Clinton signs into law Executive Order 12898 to provide federal actions to address environmental justice in minority populations and low-income populations • 1995-2000: Chester, PA, Convent, Louisiana (Shintech), etc. • 2001: Alexander v. Sandoval • 2001: South Camden Citizens in Action v. New Jersey • 2017: Sen. Cory Booker introduces Environmental Justice Act of 2017 (October 23, 2017)

10. Global Environmental Justice

11. Inequity: unfair distributions of burdens and benefits. Dominance and Hegemony: unequal participation and lack of recognition and respect. Ineffective Legal Institutions and Norms: deficient international treaties and lack of procedural remedies. Parallels Between Environmental Justice in the United States and Global Environmental Justice

12. The Future We Want:Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Preamble:“This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.” Goals and Targets: 17 Goals; 169 Targets (Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015)

13. Objectives for 2030: Advance Dignity & Healthy Environment “We are determined to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy environment.” “Billions of our citizens continue to live in poverty and are denied a life of dignity.” “Recognizing that the dignity of the human person is fundamental, we wish to see the Goals and targets met for all nations and peoples and for all segments of society. And we will endeavour to reach the furthest behind first.” “We envisage a world of universal respect for human rights and human dignity …”

14. Sustainable Development Goals 1-6 Goal 1.End poverty in all its forms everywhere Goal 2.End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all Goal 5.Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls Goal 6.Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

15. Sustainable Development Goals 7-12 • Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all • Goal 8.Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all • Goal 9.Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation • Goal 10.Reduce inequality within and among countries • Goal 11.Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable • Goal 12.Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

16. Sustainable Development Goals 13-18 • Goal 13.Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts • Goal 14.Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development • Goal 15.Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss • Goal 16.Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels • Goal 17.Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

17. Thank you.