Eco-Explainer: What is Environmental Justice?

You’ve seen environmental justice come under fire. But what does the term mean? Here are the basics of what it is – and why it matters now more than ever.

Environmental justice is a term that describes the principle of ensuring fair treatment for all individuals, regardless of their background, including race, color, origin, or income level. Many communities around the US, including Philadelphia, lack access to things like clean water, safe air pollution levels, and green spaces, which has historically made it a priority for organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strive for equity.

What Does Working Towards Environmental Justice Look Like?

Like health equity, environmental justice ensures the health and safety of marginalized groups. Toxic air, water, and lead paint, among other hazards, have harmful effects on communities. Without local buy-in, the onus of raising awareness and providing relief is often placed on local advocacy groups, which attempt to receive a response from local officials. In many cases, the federal government will get involved.

The EPA is the federal liaison that provides major funding and research, which can set the standard for addressing disparities. The organization also enforces congressional laws and does so by taking legal action and imposing fines on violators. The EPA’s main mission is safety—water, air, and the overall environment.

Famous Examples of Environmental Justice:

• Raising awareness about lead in water in Flint, Michigan
• Protesting the Keystone Pipeline, which was set to run through protected land
• Erin Brokovich and the Hinkley, California toxic water lawsuit

A less well-known but more prevalent example of environmental justice is addressing the urban heat island effect, which refers to the phenomenon where urban streets can be 10 to 15 degrees warmer than suburban streets. This occurs because trees keep the temperature cooler. It can cause disparities within the same city, like locally how Society Hill and Fairmount Park are cooler than a playground in North Philly.

Another common form of environmental justice is giving access to waterways and green spaces. Access to green space, especially, can have physiological effects, such as lower blood pressure, a lower BMI, and improved moods.

What’s Next for Environmental Justice in the US?

At this time, that’s unknown. Although the EPA’s mission historically backs environmental justice, the term has been scrubbed from the EPA’s directory, and certain programs are losing funding. This is a part of the Trump administration’s pledge to “end the use of ‘environmental justice’ as a tool for advancing ideological priorities.” Firings in the EPA Region 3 office targeted federal workers focusing on Environmental Justice. A $1 million EPA grant was stripped from the Philadelphia Office of Sustainability to fight environmental racism. The administration has also announced 31 deregulatory actions that impact power plants, toxic air standards, and wastewater regulations.

Locally, the EPA’s grants for more air pollution monitoring and air conditioning units in Delaware and Pennsylvania have been terminated. This move will almost ensure that the project will cease to exist, according to the Clean Air Council.

Cover photo: Lauren Belcher