“What do we mean by climate justice?”
Creating a fair society and saving the planet are overlapping movements with shared obstacles, says Ellen Tout, who explores the ethical issues woven into the climate crisis
WHEN TALKING about protecting the environment and making societal change, we should be aware of the concept of intersectionality – and how those who suffer the most oppression are most likely to pay the price in the climate crisis.
Movements such as feminism, LGBTQIA+ rights, racial equality and environmentalism have intersectional goals with fairness at their heart. So what does climate justice mean? Friends of the Earth describes it as ‘addressing the climate crisis while making progress towards equity and the protection and realisation of human rights’. When we move towards creating a better future for the planet, it’s an opportunity to create a fairer, greener society for all.
Rich, industrialised countries are most responsible for the climate crisis. However, it is the poorest, most vulnerable communities that feel its worst effects. For example, if a natural disaster occurs, poor communities and women suffer most; in the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, it is estimated that 75 per cent of the fatalities were women.* There are many examples: when brands produce fast fashion, both the environment and the workers suffer; when forests are cleared for palm oil plantations,
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families are displaced or forced to work in harsh conditions; and when plastic is shipped abroad for recycling, it is often women and children who work as waste pickers. In the UK, period poverty has increased since Covid, but reusable eco period products may provide a long-term solution.
We need a change in systems where care is valued, believes Dipti Bhatnagar of Friends of the Earth. Speaking to the Women’s Environmental Network (Wen), she says: ‘Our system gives importance to fossil fuel companies that destroy the planet. We need to flip that on its head.’
Marginalised groups and women are underserved in government, policy-making and the green movement. Wen is a charity that highlights these complex issues and aims to achieve environmental equality. Champion the work of people such as Leah Thomas, founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, and earth scientist Anjana Khatwa. Tell your MP you want a fairer world – speak up, be an ally, educate yourself and consider the language you use.
In the words of Audre Lorde, ‘There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.’
For green advice, follow @Ellen_tout on Instagram and Twitter; psychologies.co.uk/real-eco; wen.org.uk; intersectionalenvironmentalist.com; friendsoftheearth.uk
Got a sustainability query or worry? Email our Eco Living Editor ellen.tout@psychologies.co.uk with ‘Eco worrier’ in the subject line