Environmental Justice Research: Contemporary Issues and Emerging Topics

Abstract

Environmental justice (EJ) research seeks to document and redress the disproportionate environmental burdens and benefits associated with social inequalities. Although its initial focus was on disparities in exposure to anthropogenic pollution, the scope of EJ research has expanded. In the context of intensifying social inequalities and environmental problems, there is a need to further strengthen the EJ research framework and diversify its application. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) incorporates 19 articles that broaden EJ research by considering emerging topics such as energy, food, drinking water, flooding, sustainability, and gender dynamics, including issues in Canada, the UK, and Eastern Europe. Additionally, the articles contribute to three research themes: (1) documenting connections between unjust environmental exposures and health impacts by examining unsafe infrastructure, substance use, and children’s obesity and academic performance; (2) promoting and achieving EJ by implementing interventions to improve environmental knowledge and health, identifying avenues for sustainable community change, and incorporating EJ metrics in government programs; and (3) clarifying stakeholder perceptions of EJ issues to extend research beyond the documentation of unjust conditions and processes. Collectively, the articles highlight potentially compounding injustices and an array of approaches being employed to achieve EJ.

Exercising in Air Pollution: The Cleanest versus Dirtiest Cities Challenge

“…It has been reported in the literature that interim target 1 marks the air pollution level responsible for about 5% increase in short-term mortality over the air quality guidelines [ 19 ]. While cleanest cities are located in developed countries and are of relatively small size, the dirtiest cities are all located at underdeveloped countries, except the Chinese cities, and are of relatively larger size, similar to previously reported [ 20 ]. These observations, in accordance with others [ 21 ], suggest that geopolitical aspects, as economical status, high industrialization of peripheral countries, harmful energetic matrices, and cities planning are associated to populations’ air pollution exposure levels.…”

The Lancet Commission on pollution and health

“…Environmental injustice exists in countries at all levels of income and development and in all regions of the world, 284,[301][302][303] as can be seen in the following examples and case studies.…”

Environmental Justice in Unconventional Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Production: A Critical Review and Research Agenda

“…In a 1994 executive order, President Clinton established EJ as a goal of United States policy (EO #12989). Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as “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,” which will be achieved when “everyone enjoys (1) the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and (2) equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.” Dimensions of social inequality examined in EJ scholarship include the traditional indicators of race and socioeconomic status, as well as age; ethnicity; education; gender; immigration status; language; sexual orientation; socio-spatial factors, such as rural and/or urban geographies; and intersections among these characteristics. − Academics typically distinguish among three components of EJ, all of which translate to the oil and gas context: traditional distributive justice (that the environmental burdens of development are not disproportionately borne by vulnerable populations); benefit-sharing distributive justice (that those who take on the burdens of development also share in its benefits); and procedural justice (that decisions about development are made in an inclusive and representative manner). , To procedural justice, some scholars also add recognition (that stakeholders be recognized as having a legitimate seat at the table and be shown respect by other stakeholders and decision-makers). , We endeavor to address all of these aspects of EJ in our review. Increasingly, scholars are also pursuing participatory EJ approaches that directly involve members of affected communities so as to better incorporate local values and knowledge in the process of identifying, identifying, measuring, and addressing environmental injustices .…”

“…Because the emerging EJ literature on drilling responds to this unexpected trajectory, it is predominately U.S.-focused and emphasizes intracommunity (or intraregion) comparisons in areas of UOG production specifically. In reviewing this literature, we acknowledge as per O’Rourke and Connolly that these evolving community-level energy geographies are occurring within a global context, and also that extractive industry debates are increasingly engaging questions of international and intergenerational climate justice. ,, While analyses of these global EJ questions are highly important, they are beyond the scope of this article; we return to them in our questions for future research in the Guiding Questions section.…”