California at the Crossroads Environmental Justice and Climate Change CPHA-N Conference March 14, 2008
Context Director of the Environmental Justice Project The mission of the Environmental Justice Project at the John Muir Institute of the Environment is to encourage and develop interdisciplinary research on environmental justice.
Key Topics Definitions: 1. Environmental Justice 2. Environmental Justice & Climate Change
Defining Environmental Justice Principles of Environmental Justice (1991) Pellow’s EIF (2000) Schlosberg’s definitions of justice in environmental justice (2004) 1. Distributive 2. Procedural 3. Cultural Recognition Do race and class matter in environmental and climate change policy in California? How?
Global Climate Injustice (Impacts) and Climate Justice (Organizing) Poor people in developing countries… are most vulnerable --Robert Watson, Chief Scientist World Bank (from film “Out of Balance”) UNDP Climate Report “Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world” 2007 Principles of Climate Justice (2002) Climate Justice Now! Coalition
EJ and Climate Change Unequal power at the core of analysis (of causes and solutions)
EJ and Climate Change Distributive- Disparate Impacts in US Environmental Justice and Climate Change Coalition
Politics of Climate Change Adaptation- EJ and Health Implications
The California Challenge AB 32 EJAC (Environmental Justice Advisory Committee)
Conclusion Social/ Environmental Justice and Climate Change- Challenges and opportunities