Environmental Justice Research Articles

Ben & Jerry's social and environmental justice grants

Ben & Jerry's social and environmental justice grants

Ecology and Justice: From Environmental Justice to Integral Ecology of «Laudato si’»

Until recently, in the social teaching of the Church, the principle of social justice has been primarily related to issues of poverty, social inequalities, wealth distribution, and goods. Pope Francis extends this understanding to environmental issues. While diagnosing and describing the contemporary ecological crisis (our inability to resolve it in particular), he identifies the same mindset and mechanisms underlying both the social and ecological crises. Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato si’ is, therefore, a revolutionary text, which, based on integral ecology, reintroduces justice (similarly to Rerum Novarum over 130 years ago) as the key to addressing a new social issue – the contemporary ecological crisis. The comprehensive perspective on the contemporary global crisis as a socio-ecological crisis, in Laudato si’ finds its reference in the developed concept of Environmental Justice – an ecological justice as a new type of social justice. The viewpoint of a moral theologian allows us to perceive the duties associated with it not only as a legal obligation (debitum iuridicum) but also more deeply as a moral obligation (debitum morale).

Capacious Methodologies for an Unravelling World: Three Research Ecologies

In this article, we take Dan Harris’ conceptualization of creative ecologies as a provocation to think individually and collectively across three very different research ecologies and the methodologies we use to navigate them. The three research ecologies originate with slippery eels and multispecies ethnography around the Hawkesbury River (New South Wales); affective filmmaking and experience of gender in Australian secondary schools: and the sociomaterialities of living and researching with/in a small girls school on a Himalayan mountainside. We articulate something of these diverse projects, asking what the concept of creative ecology does in our research practice. Together we ask: What work does inhabiting creative ecologies as concept do; and what does thinking with/in creative ecologies mean for our research work? Finally, we speculate how re-conceptualizing research as creative ecologies might offer more capacious ways to address issues of conceptual, cultural, and ecological justice in this unravelling world.

Memory Carriers and Intergenerational Kinship in Indigenous Climate Change Fiction Alexis Wright’s The Swan Book (2013) and Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves (2017)

The concept of anthropogenic climate change, in its most simplistic interpretation, implies that all humanity is collectively responsible for the present threats to planetary sustainability. This unquestioned discourse of collective responsibility also facilitates frames of understanding that isolate older generations and burden them as a whole, blaming them for the construction of a life model that has led to the present crisis, a discourse challenged by postcolonial and environmental justice literature and in particular by Indigenous fiction. A discussion of two novels, The Swan Book (2013) by the Waanyi Australian writer Alexis Wright, and The Marrow Thieves (2017) by the Métis Canadian writer Cherie Dimaline, scrutinises how they create alternative frames presenting older adults in scenarios of environmental devastation as carriers of memory that are agents in the construction of the spirit of resilience and resistance of young characters.

Assessing the Connectivity of Urban Green Spaces for Enhanced Environmental Justice and Ecosystem Service Flow: A Study of Tehran Using Graph Theory and Least-Cost Analysis

This research aims to analyze the relationship between environmental justice and urban green space connectivity in Tehran, Iran. The evaluation of green space connectivity in this study is conducted through two distinct cost layers: one aimed at enhancing existing connections and another focused on establishing new green spaces. Key factors influencing connectivity, extracted from the relevant literature, were identified to facilitate this analysis. Employing graph theory and least-cost analysis, the results determined critical resistance factors, current connectivity and cost status, the varying degrees to which different districts benefit from green space ecosystem services, and the most effective routes for establishing green corridors. Research findings highlight significant disparities in access to these services, particularly in the underserved central districts of Tehran. Moreover, spatial analysis reveals a higher potential for enhancing east–west ecosystem service corridors due to the higher density of green hubs and lower costs in this orientation, while north–south connectivity faces more challenges. By exploring land use/land cover, and physical and socio-economic factors affecting urban green space connectivity, this study provides urban and environmental planners with a novel methodology and comprehensive insights for effective decision making, resource allocation, and land use planning.

Resisting Eco-colonialism Through Indigenous Epistemologies and Performances in Nigeria

The lands and natural resources of indigenous communities in the Global South have been severely exploited thereby leading to a major decline in the ecosystem, following centuries of colonization. The research intends to investigate and demonstrate the relevance of indigenous cultural epistemologies and traditional performances, in challenging and reversing the ecological degradation brought about by colonialism in Nigeria. Relying on the postcolonial, and environmental justice theoretical frameworks, an examination of the literature and case study centred on the indigenous populations in Ogoniland in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria will be deployed. Through an exploration of the traditional performances of the Ogoni people, which are deeply rooted in their indigenous cultural epistemologies, encompassing their customary knowledge structures, rituals, and worldviews, this study aims to illuminate the deep ecological understanding that has supported this Nigerian, Niger Delta community for several generations. Additionally, it aims to acknowledge the vital role that indigenous peoples play in maintaining a variety of ecosystems as well as their deeply ingrained spiritual and cultural ties to the natural world. The study examines creative practices and effective eco-restorative projects led by the indigenous people of Ogoniland that defy the colonial-era models of resource extraction and industrial development. The research intends to contribute to the current global conversation on decolonization, environmental stewardship, and the importance of inclusive and diverse viewpoints in sustainable development. The research concludes that indigenous cultural epistemologies and traditional performances provide vital resources for engaging the ecological issues that Ogoniland and other locations in Nigeria for that matter, face by elevating the voices and knowledge of indigenous peoples.

AI chatbots contribute to global conservation injustices

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven language models (chatbots) progressively accelerate the collection and translation of environmental evidence that could be used to inform planetary conservation plans and strategies. Yet, the consequences of chatbot-generated conservation content have never been globally assessed. Drawing on distributive, recognition, procedural, and epistemic dimensions of environmental justice, we interviewed and analysed 30,000 responses from ChatGPT on ecological restoration expertise, stakeholder engagements, and techniques. Our results show that more than two-thirds of the chatbot’s answers rely on the expertise of male academics working at universities in the United States, while largely ignoring evidence from low- and lower-middle-income countries (7%) and Indigenous and community restoration experiences (2%). A focus on planting and reforestation techniques (69%) underpins optimistic environmental outcomes (60%), neglecting holistic technical approaches that consider non-forest ecosystems (25%) and non-tree species (8%). This analysis highlights how biases in AI-driven knowledge production can reinforce Western science, overlooking diverse sources of expertise and perspectives regarding conservation research and practices. In the fast-paced domain of generative AI, safeguard mechanisms are needed to ensure that these expanding chatbot developments can incorporate just principles in addressing the pace and scale of the worldwide environmental crisis.

Exploring spatial heterogeneity in synergistic effects of compound climate hazards: Extreme heat and wildfire smoke on cardiorespiratory hospitalizations in California.

Extreme heat and wildfire smoke events are increasingly co-occurring in the context of climate change, especially in California. Extreme heat and wildfire smoke may have synergistic effects on population health that vary over space. We leveraged high-resolution satellite and monitoring data to quantify spatially varying compound exposures to extreme heat and wildfire smoke in California (2006-2019) at ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level. We found synergistic effects between extreme heat and wildfire smoke on daily cardiorespiratory hospitalizations at the state level. We also found spatial heterogeneity in such synergistic effects across ZCTAs. Communities with lower education attainment, lower health insurance coverage, lower income, lower proportion of automobile ownership, lower tree canopy coverage, higher population density, and higher proportions of racial/ethnic minorities experienced higher synergistic effects. This study highlights the need to incorporate compound hazards and environmental justice considerations into evidence-based policy development to protect populations from increasingly prevalent compound hazards.

A top-down path to promote environmental justice in a contaminated area. The experience with the community of Porto Torres (Sardinia, Italy)

Nowadays, in Italy, researchers from various disciplines and institutions are referring to environmental justice to promote health equity in relation to environmental risks and benefits. This presents an opportunity for the convergence of bottom-up and top-down perspectives, which differ in nature, to advance environmental justice at the local level. This contribution presents the experience of researchers from the Italian National Institute of Health in the contaminated area of Porto Torres (Sardinia). The experience began with the development of study activities aimed at describing the health profile of the population residing in Porto Torres. These activities embraced the requests of the local community and included interactions with local institutional and social actors. The study activities were designed with a focus on environmental justice, which requires an understanding of the local context and of its history. The contribution describes the various stages that led from the development of the study to the engagement with local institutional and social actors, communication of study results, and participation in local initiatives on environmental justice. Finally, the text proposes some considerations on how researchers from a central institution can develop and conduct study activities to promote environmental justice at the local level.

Bottled Water Consumption and Perceptions of Household Water Quality: An Intra-Urban Analysis of Greensboro, North Carolina

Perceived household water quality can affect decision-making about bottled water consumption, an issue of environmental justice. Residents who do not trust the quality of their tap water may drink bottled water as an alternative, but people also choose to drink bottled water for other reasons, such as taste or convenience. This study examines patterns of bottled water consumption and perceptions of tap water quality across neighborhoods of Greensboro, North Carolina, with differing income levels. Household surveys were used to investigate residents’ consumption of bottled water and tap water and their stated reasons for consuming bottled water. Results indicate that respondents in low-income neighborhoods report drinking significantly (p=0.001) more bottled water than respondents in higher-income neighborhoods. Concerns about the safety of tap water were a significantly (p=0.00005) more important reason for respondents in low- income neighborhoods to choose bottled water compared to respondents in higher-income neighborhoods. The results of this study indicate that intra-urban differences in perceptions of household water quality are a major environmental justice issue in that concerns about safety drive low-income residents to spend their limited income on bottled water.

Environmental Injustice Is Associated With Poorer Asthma Outcomes in School-Age Children With Asthma in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia

BackgroundEnvironmental justice mandates that no person suffers disproportionately from environmental exposures. The Environmental Justice Index (EJI) provides an estimate of the environmental burden for each census tract but has not yet been utilized in asthma populations. ObjectiveWe hypothesized that children from census tracts with high environmental injustice determined by the EJI would have a greater burden of asthma exacerbations, poorer asthma control, and poorer lung function over 12 months. MethodsChildren 6-18 years with asthma (N=575) from metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, completed a baseline research visit. Participant addresses were geocoded to obtain the EJI Social-Environmental ranking for each participant’s census tract, which was divided into tertiles. Medical records were reviewed for 12 months for asthma exacerbations. A subset of participants completed a second research visit involving spirometry and questionnaires. ResultsCensus tracts with the greatest environmental injustice had more racial/ethnic minorities, lower socioeconomic status, more hazardous exposures (particularly to airborne pollutants), and greater proximity to railroads and heavily trafficked roadways. Children with asthma residing in high injustice census tracts had a longer duration of asthma, greater historical asthma-related healthcare utilization, poorer asthma symptom control and quality of life, and more impaired lung function. By 12 months, children from high injustice census tracts also had more asthma exacerbations with a shorter time to exacerbation and persistently more symptoms, poorer asthma control, and reduced lung function. ConclusionDisparities in environmental justice are present in metropolitan Atlanta that may contribute to asthma outcomes in children. These findings require additional study and action to improve health equity.

The Devil's Fruit: Farmworkers, Health, and Environmental Justice

The Devil's Fruit: Farmworkers, Health, and Environmental Justice

Mitigating allocative tradeoffs and harms in an environmental justice data tool

Neighbourhood-level screening algorithms are increasingly being deployed to inform policy decisions. However, their potential for harm remains unclear: algorithmic decision-making has broadly fallen under scrutiny for disproportionate harm to marginalized groups, yet opaque methodology and proprietary data limit the generalizability of algorithmic audits. Here we leverage publicly available data to fully reproduce and audit a large-scale algorithm known as CalEnviroScreen, designed to promote environmental justice and guide public funding by identifying disadvantaged neighbourhoods. We observe the model to be both highly sensitive to subjective model specifications and financially consequential, estimating the effect of its positive designations as a 104% (62–145%) increase in funding, equivalent to US$2.08 billion (US$1.56–2.41 billion) over four years. We further observe allocative tradeoffs and susceptibility to manipulation, raising ethical concerns. We recommend incorporating technical strategies to mitigate allocative harm and accountability mechanisms to prevent misuse.

Updates in Air Pollution: Current Research and Future Challenges.

The United Nations has declared that humans have a right to clean air. Despite this, many deaths and disability-adjusted life years are attributed to air pollution exposure each year. We face both challenges to air quality and opportunities to improve, but several areas need to be addressed with urgency. This paper summarises the recent research presented at the Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health Symposium and focuses on three key areas of air pollution that are important to human health and require more research. Indoor spaces are commonly places of exposure to poor air quality and are difficult to monitor and regulate. Global climate change risks worsening air quality in a bi-directional fashion. The rising use of electric vehicles may offer opportunities to improve air quality, but it also presents new challenges. Government policies and initiatives could lead to improved air and environmental justice. Several populations, such as older people and children, face increased harm from air pollution and should become priority groups for action.

Advancing environmental justice in cities through the Mosaic Governance of nature-based solutions

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are championed for providing co-benefits to cities and residents, yet their environmental justice impacts are increasingly debated. In this paper, we explore whether and how hybrid governance approaches, such as Mosaic Governance, may contribute to just transformations and sustainable cities through fostering long-term collaborations between local governments, local communities, and grassroots initiatives. Based on case studies in three major European cities, we propose and then exemplify six possible pathways to increase environmental justice: greening the neighborhood, diversifying values and practices, empowering people, bridging across communities, linking to institutions, and scaling of inclusive discourses and practices. Despite the diversity of environmental justice outcomes across cases, our results consistently show that Mosaic Governance particularly contributes to recognition justice through diversifying NBS practices in alignment with community values and aspirations. The results demonstrate the importance of a wider framing of justice in the development of NBS, sensitive to social, cultural, economic and political inequities as well understanding potential pathways to enhance not only environmental justice, but also social justice at large. Especially in marginalised communities, Mosaic Governance holds much potential to advance social justice by enabling empowering, bridging, and linking pathways across diverse communities and NBS practices.

Environmental Justice Index and adverse pregnancy outcomes

The Environmental Justice Index is a tool released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that quantifies and ranks the environmental burden and social vulnerability of each census tract. Racial and ethnic disparities in adverse pregnancy outcomes are well established. The relative contributions of individual (person-level) and environmental (neighborhood-level) risk factors to disease prevalence remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine whether the Environmental Justice Index is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes after adjustment for individual clinical and sociodemographic risk factors. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of all patients who delivered a singleton newborn at ≥23 weeks of gestation between January 2019 and February 2022 at 7 hospitals within a large academic health system in New York. Patients were excluded if their home address was not available, if the address could not be geocoded to a census tract, or if the census tract did not have corresponding Environmental Justice Index data. Patients were also excluded if they had preexisting diabetes or hypertension. For patients who had multiple pregnancies during the study period, only the first pregnancy was included for analysis. Clinical and demographic data were obtained from the electronic medical record. Environmental Justice Index score, the primary independent variable, ranges from 0 to 1. Higher Environmental Justice Index scores indicate communities with increased cumulative environmental burden and increased social vulnerability. The primary outcome was adverse pregnancy outcome, defined as the presence of ≥1 of any of the following conditions: hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, low birthweight, small for gestational age newborn, placental abruption, and stillbirth. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to investigate the relationship between Environmental Justice Index score and adverse pregnancy outcome, adjusting for potential confounding variables, including body mass index group, race and ethnicity group, advanced maternal age, nulliparity, public health insurance, and English as the preferred language. A total of 65,273 pregnancies were included for analysis. Overall, adverse pregnancy outcomes occurred in 37.6% of pregnancies (n=24,545); hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (13.4%) and gestational diabetes (12.2%) were the most common adverse pregnancy outcome conditions. On unadjusted analysis, the strongest associations between Environmental Justice Index score and individual adverse pregnancy outcome conditions were observed for stillbirth (odds ratio, 1.079; 95% confidence interval, 1.025-1.135) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (odds ratio, 1.052; 95% confidence interval, 1.042-1.061). On multivariable logistic regression, every 0.1 increase in Environmental Justice Index score was associated with 1.4% higher odds of adverse pregnancy outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 1.014; 95% confidence interval, 1.007-1.021). The strongest associations with adverse pregnancy outcomes were observed with well-established clinical and social risk factors, including class 3 obesity (adjusted odds ratio, 1.710; 95% confidence interval, 1.580-1.849; reference: body mass index <25 kg/m2) and certain race and ethnicity groups (reference: non-Hispanic White), particularly Asian and Pacific Islander (adjusted odds ratio, 1.817; 95% confidence interval, 1.729-1.910), and non-Hispanic Black (adjusted odds ratio, 1.668; 95% confidence interval, 1.581-1.760) people. Environmental Justice Index score is positively associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and most strongly associated with stillbirth and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Geospatial analysis with Environmental Justice Index may help to improve our understanding of health inequities by identifying neighborhood characteristics that increase the risk of pregnancy complications.

Abstract B084: Association between race and ethnicity, area deprivation, and exposure to environmental toxins in the WISDOM clinical trial population

Abstract Background: Women Informed to Screen Depending on Measures of risk (WISDOM) is a preference-tolerant, pragmatic clinical trial comparing the safety and morbidity of personalized risk-based and annual breast cancer screening. Environmental risk factors are not considered in WISDOM’s risk assessment. Geocoded residential addresses were used to understand whether a relationship between area deprivation, exposure to environmental toxins, and race and ethnicity exists within the cohort. Methods: The residential addresses at time of study entry of consented WISDOM participants were geocoded to latitude/longitude coordinates and assigned census tract and/or Zip Code Tabulation Area IDs from the US Census Bureau. Each census tract was assigned an Area Deprivation Index (ADI). The ADI comprises 17 indicators of poverty, housing, education, and employment which classifies a census tract on a scale from 1 (least deprived) to 10 (most deprived). ADI was grouped into highest deprivation (ADIs 8-10), middle deprivation (ADIs 4-7), and least deprivation (ADIs 1-3). Census tracts were also mapped to data from the Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Screen (EJS) on the national percentile rank of 12 toxic exposures such as proximity to hazardous waste sites, air particulate matter and ozone concentrations. Each EJS exposure variable was categorized into quartiles. The cohort was limited to self-reported White, Asian, Black African American, and Mixed participants. The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and the Dunn’s test of multiple comparison using Bonferroni adjustment were used to test the association between race and ethnicity, ADI, and EJS variables. Results: The analysis cohort had 42,388 women. Most WISDOM participants were White (85%), followed by Asian (5%), Black or African American (5%), and Mixed (5%) race and ethnicity. Most lived in the least deprivation areas (57%) while a minority lived in the highest deprivation areas (12%). Black or African American women were significantly more likely to live in the highest deprivation areas compared to all other races and ethnicities (p&amp;lt;0.001). The highest deprivation areas where more likely to rank in the highest quartile of exposure to ozone (p&amp;lt;0.001), proximity to hazadous waste sites (p&amp;lt;0.001), and concentration of cancer risk air toxins (p=0.017) compared to the middle and least deprivation areas. White and Asian women were more likely to live in the least deprived areas that were more likely to rank in the highest quartile of exposure to particulate matter 2.5 compared to the most deprived areas (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusions: Black and African American women in the WISDOM study were more likely to live in the most deprived areas which have higher exposure to several environmental toxins. Given that exposure to some environmental toxins are known to increase breast cancer risk, investigation on how environmental factors can be encorporated in risk estimation is warranted. WISDOM should also direct targeted recruitment efforts to women who live in the most deprived areas. Citation Format: Katherine E Leggat-Barr, Kimberly Badal, Allison Stover-Fiscalini, Dan Meltzer, Mindy Hebert-DeRouen, Laura Van 'T Veer, Laura Esserman. Association between race and ethnicity, area deprivation, and exposure to environmental toxins in the WISDOM clinical trial population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Breast Cancer Research; 2023 Oct 19-22; San Diego, California. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(3 Suppl_1):Abstract nr B084.

Addressing Environmental Justice through In-Kind Court Settlements

In US environmental court cases, a cash penalty can be mitigated if a defendant volunteers to undertake an in-kind project, such as retrofitting school buses or building a public park. A goal of the policy is to address environmental justice concerns for low-income and minority populations, yet the historical record shows in-kind settlements most likely occur in cases involving high-income, majority-White communities. A choice experiment reveals that the public prefers in-kind settlements over cash, and a randomized survey reveals in-kind settlements improve the public’s view of a violating firm, consistent with our finding of positive stock market reactions to in-kind settlements. (JEL D63, H23, J15, K32, Q53, Q58)

Ecological Justice in the Framework of Pancasila: Problems and Challenges

This paper examines the concept of ecological justice within the framework of Pancasila, the philosophical foundation of the Indonesian state. While Pancasila emphasizes socio-cultural harmony and collective welfare, its application to ecological issues poses significant challenges. This analysis delves into the complexities of achieving ecological justice within the Pancasila framework, identifying key problems and challenges. Beginning with an exploration of Pancasila's core principles, the paper highlights its emphasis on social justice, democracy, and collective responsibility. It then discusses the intersection between Pancasila and environmental concerns, emphasizing the need for ecological justice to address issues such as environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Drawing on case studies and theoretical perspectives, the paper identifies several challenges in applying Pancasila to ecological justice. These challenges include reconciling traditional values with modern environmental imperatives, balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, and addressing power disparities in environmental decision-making. Furthermore, the paper examines the role of governance structures, policy frameworks, and civil society in promoting ecological justice within the Pancasila framework. It discusses potential pathways for integrating environmental considerations into Pancasila-based policies and practices. Through this analysis, the paper contributes to the discourse on ecological justice by exploring its intersection with indigenous philosophical frameworks like Pancasila. It underscores the importance of incorporating environmental concerns into Pancasila-based governance to ensure a more sustainable and equitable future for Indonesia and beyond.&#x0D;

Extrajudicial Dispute Resolution in Handling Environmental Cases in Indonesia (Case Study: River Water Pollution by PT Sugar Labinta in South Lampung)

This paper examines extrajudicial dispute resolution mechanisms utilized in addressing environmental cases in Indonesia, with a focus on a specific case involving the alleged pollution of river water by PT Sugar Labinta in South Lampung. It delves into the legal frameworks, stakeholder engagement processes, and outcomes of extrajudicial dispute resolution efforts in environmental matters. Drawing on a case study approach, the paper analyzes the effectiveness and challenges of extrajudicial mechanisms in resolving environmental disputes, particularly in cases of alleged pollution by industrial entities. It explores the roles of various stakeholders, including government agencies, industry representatives, affected communities, and non-governmental organizations, in the resolution process. Furthermore, the paper evaluates the implications of extrajudicial dispute resolution on environmental protection, legal accountability, and community rights. It examines the extent to which such mechanisms contribute to the realization of environmental justice, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility in Indonesia. In conclusion, the paper offers insights into the strengths and limitations of extrajudicial dispute resolution in handling environmental cases, using the PT Sugar Labinta case as a lens. It suggests recommendations for improving the effectiveness and fairness of extrajudicial mechanisms, enhancing transparency, accountability, and community participation in environmental decision-making processes.