Background/Question/Methods When the 17 principles of Environmental Justice were drafted and adopted in 1991, the very first one was: “Environmental Justice affirms the sacredness of Mother Earth, ecological unity and the interdependence of all species, and the right to be free from ecological destruction.” Historically, we have relied on natural resources and ecosystem services for livelihoods and protection from natural disasters, among other things. However, colonization, industrialization and land use change have deeply affected the ecological balance - and global climate. Climate change impacts became a threat multiplier, increasing risks to ecological unity, ecosystem services, and species survival – including humans themselves. Historically disadvantaged communities bear the brunt of those impacts – pollution, flooding, lack of green spaces, extreme heat. How did we get here and what could be done to protect natural resources and ecosystems for future generations?
Results/Conclusions For millennia, people lived off a land they came to know. Natural disasters existed, but communities had the knowledge to deal with them when possible. Coastal communities knew the signs of an impending storm and moved to safer ground inland or higher up. If a fire was coming, they had space to run away and try to escape. But with colonization, the static nature of settlements became the norm. With infrastructure that cannot be moved away from harm, people suffer the consequences. In the process, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) was dismissed in the face of other knowledge meant to conquer and tame the environment to desired goals – and gains. Scientists and policymakers now know that TEK is invaluable to understand an ecosystem. Nobody knows a place like those who have lived there for centuries. That knowledge should be harnessed and coupled with technological advances to increase community resilience in the face of climate change. Not surprisingly, communities with the most to offer in terms of TEK are also the ones on the frontline of climate impacts. That is where environmental justice becomes climate justice. The last Environmental Justice principle requires that “we, as individuals, make personal and consumer choices to consume as little of Mother Earth's resources and to produce as little waste as possible; and make the conscious decision to challenge and re-prioritize our lifestyles to ensure the health of the natural world for present and future generations.” Never have these guidelines been more relevant and pressing than now. It all starts and ends with environmental justice.
