racism
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Canada passes Bill C-226 to combat environmental racism
Canada's new Bill C-226 aims to develop a national strategy to address environmental racism and ensure affected communities are part of the solution.
In short:
- Bill C-226 mandates a national strategy to tackle environmental racism in consultation with Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities.
- The bill is the result of years of advocacy by Ingrid Waldron, who highlights the disproportionate environmental harms these communities face.
- The strategy will include mapping environmental impacts, collecting disaggregated data, and raising awareness about environmental racism.
Key quote:
"We’re giving them an opportunity to co-create the strategy with us. It’s not just about sharing their grief. I’m sure they’re tired of doing that. It’s about them saying, ‘And this is what I think this national strategy should include.’"
— Ingrid Waldron, researcher and advocate
Why this matters:
The implications of this bill are profound. For one, it could lead to a cleaner, healthier environment for communities that have long been sidelined. It also sets a precedent for how environmental policies can be designed to be more inclusive and equitable. Beyond the immediate environmental benefits, there are significant health implications as well. Reducing exposure to pollutants and improving access to clean resources can lead to better health outcomes, reducing the prevalence of diseases linked to environmental factors.
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Alabama's Shiloh community struggles with floods and racism
In Alabama's Shiloh community, residents grapple with persistent flooding exacerbated by a highway expansion, highlighting issues of environmental injustice.
In short:
- The expansion of Highway 84 in Alabama has led to severe flooding in the historically Black Shiloh community, causing significant distress among residents.
- Robert Bullard, an environmental justice advocate, is bringing the community's plight to the White House, emphasizing the racial undertones of the neglect.
- The flooding has damaged homes and infrastructure, with residents attributing the issue to structural racism and poor engineering decisions.
Key quote:
“This was done on purpose. This wasn’t an accidental ‘oops.’ ALDOT cared more about not flooding the highway than they did about flooding the community. That is unacceptable.”
— Robert Bullard, environmental justice advocate.
Why this matters:
The situation in Shiloh is a stark example of how environmental issues can intersect with racial injustice, impacting health and living conditions. It underscores the need for equitable infrastructure planning and highlights the broader national issue of environmental racism.
LISTEN: Environmental justice researchers on what it means to be biracial.
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Local leaders call for auto workers’ gains to spread to EV plants, Southern Black workers
More than 60 Black political leaders, wrote to President Biden asking him to push for higher standards in the rapidly growing electric vehicle industry.
Newsletter
In Miami, it’s no coincidence marginalized neighborhoods are hotter
New research suggests the problem traces to a historical federal program that was turned against those who needed it most, through a practice known as redlining.
Newsletter
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'No left-wing indoctrination': Climate science under attack in classrooms
Conservative activists and politicians in states across the country are trying to limit or distort the teaching of climate science to schoolchildren, marking a growing front in the culture war against social movements over race, gender identity and the environment.
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Private equity giant KKR is funding environmental racism, new report finds
Keerti Gopal reports for Inside Climate News that climate impacts of the private equity industry create significant harm to BIPOC communities in Texas, Louisiana and British Columbia, Canada.
In a nutshell:
Private equity giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. faces criticism for its involvement in fossil fuel projects, despite its 2022 sustainability report claiming commitment to environmental responsibility. A recent report by the Private Equity Climate Risks project highlights KKR's alleged empty promises and their adverse impact on marginalized communities. This includes three contentious projects: the Coastal GasLink pipeline in Canada, Port Arthur Liquified Natural Gas project in Texas and the Cameron LNG project in Louisiana, all accused of environmental racism. Calls for accountability and a shift toward renewable energy solutions are growing louder.
Key quote:
“Up to the present, these environmental violations and conflicts with community members have been occurring mostly in the dark,” said Alyssa Moore, co-author of the report and a researcher for the clean energy-focused data organization Global Energy Monitor.
The big picture:
Fossil fuel development carries significant health and environmental implications, particularly for marginalized communities. People of color often bear a disproportionate burden of these consequences. Exposure to air and water pollution from fossil fuel facilities can lead to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and a higher risk of cancer. These communities also face the brunt of climate change impacts, including extreme weather events and rising sea levels, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Environmental justice advocates stress the urgent need for equitable policies and a transition to cleaner energy sources to address these disparities and combat environmental racism.
Read the story at Inside Climate News.
Learn more about the far-reaching effects of pollution and environmental injustice: David Pellow, a professor of Environmental Studies at UC Santa Barbara, wrote a thought-provoking essay for EHN examining the link between environmental racism and criminalization.
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Q&A: Heather McTeer Toney reflects on the ongoing struggle for environmental justice in America
McTeer’s new book is “Before the Streetlights Come On: Black America’s Urgent Call for Climate Solutions.” She calls the Black church and its power to move the electorate a “sleeping giant” for environmental action.
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