Environmental justice for the future: How protecting nature can create a fairer world for all

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Introduction

Description

Environmental degradation often disproportionately affects marginalized communities. For instance, Indigenous peoples and Afro-descendant women play a pivotal role in protecting nature and combating environmental crises. However, they frequently face challenges such as lack of legal recognition and internal community discrimination, hindering their access to resources and support. Supporting these communities is crucial, not only for their well-being but also for preserving biodiversity and ancestral knowledge essential for environmental conservation. Climate change exacerbates existing social inequalities (Liang J, et al., 2016). Communities in the Global South, who have contributed the least to greenhouse gas emissions, often experience the most severe impacts, including extreme weather events, sea-level rise and food insecurity. Addressing climate change through an environmental justice lens involves not only mitigating environmental harm but also rectifying historical injustices and ensuring that vulnerable populations are supported and protected. One innovative legal approach to environmental justice is the recognition of the "rights of nature." This concept grants legal personhood to natural entities, allowing ecosystems to be represented in court and protected by law. Ecuador was the first country to enshrine the rights of nature in its constitution, recognizing that nature has the right to exist, persist and regenerate its.

Following Ecuador's lead, other countries have adopted similar frameworks. In 2017, New Zealand granted legal personhood to the Whanganui River, acknowledging its status as an indivisible and living whole. These legal innovations challenge traditional property rights and offer new avenues for environmental protection and justice (Dornelas M, et al., 2018). International agreements such as the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Convention on Biological Diversity include provisions that recognize the importance of environmental justice. These agreements emphasize the need for inclusive decision-making and the protection of vulnerable communities. However, the implementation of these provisions often falls short and there is a need for stronger commitments and accountability mechanisms to ensure that environmental justice is upheld globally. In the United States, the removal of four hydroelectric dams on California's Klamath River marked the largest river restoration project in U.S. history. This $550 million initiative aimed to rehabilitate the river's ecosystem and conserve its fish population. Central to this effort was the involvement of Indigenous nations, whose traditional ecological knowledge and stewardship practices were integral to the project's success.

Indigenous communities have long practiced sustainable environmental stewardship based on spiritual and cultural ties to the land. However, these communities often face threats from resource extraction projects and lack legal protections. Recognizing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) as a legitimate and valuable form of environmental management is not only respectful but essential for crafting truly sustainable solutions. TEK provides holistic, long-term views of ecological health that can complement scientific approaches (van Klink R, et al., 2021). Protecting Indigenous rights and lands is thus a dual imperative: safeguarding biodiversity and advancing social justice. The Global South, comprising developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, faces the double burden of contributing least to climate change while suffering its worst effects. Historical exploitation through colonialism and present-day practices of climate colonialism-where wealthy nations outsource their environmental burdens-exacerbate inequalities. In cities across the world, environmental inequality manifests through disparities in air quality, access to green spaces and exposure to hazards like industrial pollution or heatwaves. In the U.S., studies have shown that communities of color are exposed to higher levels of fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) than white communities, even when adjusting for income. Young people are at the forefront of the climate justice movement, bringing with them a deep awareness of intersectionality-the recognition that race, gender, class and environmental issues are deeply intertwined. Movements like Fridays for Future, Sunrise Movement and Polluters Out reflect this consciousness and demand transformative change, not incremental reforms. Educational institutions and policy platforms must embrace this intergenerational and intersectional lens to build an inclusive environmental future (Economo EP, et al., 2018).

Conclusion

Acknowledgement

Conflict of Interest

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