In the past few years, climate change has become an increasingly popular topic whose incumbent and inevitable crisis shapes our lives today. It will continue to be a life-threatening problem for future generations, if long-term and sustainable solutions are not put in place now.
While climate change talk is gaining more traction, unfortunately the same cannot be said about social justice. Environmentalism still today fails to acknowledge the deep interconnection between environmental issues and social justice issues. The world of climate activism has historically been dominated by white men in the United States, argues Dorceta Taylor, an environmental sociologist at the University of Michigan who studies the history of the environmental movement. The movement has therefore not recognized how crucial it is to connect the fight against the climate crisis with the fight against racism. It is therefore imperative that environmental racism frames the discussion around climate justice. What is environmental racism? It refers to the ways that waste, pollution, and the climate crisis disproportionately impact black people, indigenous people and other people of color.
Dr Benjamin Chavis is credited with coining the term as part of his 1980’s research on the correlation between racial demographics and toxic waste locations. Race, in the U.S., is therefore the biggest indicator for toxic waste. In fact, in the U.S. 55% of those who live within 3 km of hazardous waste facilities are people of color; 47% of people who live critically close to hazardous chemical facilities are Black or Latino; black people are exposed to 50% more air pollution than white people; communities with more people of color are 40% more likely to have unlawfully unsafe drinking water.
Thus, we can’t talk about sustainability if we don’t talk about race; we can’t talk about environmental issues and climate change if we don’t talk about environmental justice. Impact investing should automatically translate into social, racial and environmental impact; all these issues are mutually inclusive: there can’t exist climate justice without social justice.
Black environmental activist Leah Thomas recently published an article in Vogue Why Every Environmentalist Should Be Anti-Racist, where she stresses on the importance of this interconnection, advocating for intersectional environmentalism. We could easily – and should, always – replace the word “environmentalist” with “investor” or “business leader”. Leah Thomas recently created Intersectional Environmentalist, a “platform for resources, information and action steps to support intersectional environmentalism and dismantle systems of oppression in the environmental movement, led by environmental activists and sustainability advocates.” The platform’s definition of intersectional environmentalism is something we – consumers, investors, environmentalists, business leaders – should always advocate for in our work: “This is an inclusive version of environmentalism that advocates for both the protection of people and the planet. It identifies the ways in which injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected. It brings injustices done to the most vulnerable communities, and the earth, to the forefront and does not minimize or silence social inequality. Intersectional environmentalism advocates for justice for people and the planet”.
And for those you want to learn more about “intersectionality”, start with the definition, advocated by UN Women:
Dafne Yeltekin | LinkedIn
Dafne Yeltekin works at B Lab New York City in the Strategic Growth and Partnerships Team and is enrolled at the Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management Program at the Milano School of Policy, Management and Environment, the New School.
