What is climate justice?
To understand climate justice, we must first acknowledge the climate injustice faced by the world’s most vulnerable communities. Climate change doesn’t affect everyone equally. Those who contribute the least to the climate crisis often bear its heaviest burdens.
Climate justice aims to remedy the disproportionate effects of climate change on the world’s most vulnerable communities—those least responsible for the crisis. Whether facing extreme weather events, rising sea levels, or lack of access to resources, these communities are often left without the means to protect themselves.
Key historical moments in Climate Justice
1991 Washington D.C.: The People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit
The First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit marked a key moment for climate justice. Leaders and activists gathered to highlight the need for climate policies that not only address environmental concerns but also protect the most vulnerable. This summit made it clear: climate justice and social equity are deeply interconnected.
1992 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: The Earth Summit
The Earth Summit marked the first time that global leaders acknowledged the inseparability of environmental issues and social justice. The summit helped set the stage for climate justice to be integrated into international climate agreements, particularly for developing nations most impacted by climate change.
2007 New York, New York: The IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report
The Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized how climate change disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations. This report called for equitable adaptation strategies to ensure that marginalized communities are not left behind in global climate solutions.
2016 Paris, France: The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement became a landmark moment in climate justice. This international treaty recognized the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," ensuring that wealthier nations, which historically contributed the most to climate change, bear greater responsibility in providing financial and technical support to developing nations. The agreement marked a turning point: climate justice was now central to global climate action.
What are the core principles of climate justice?
Climate justice goes beyond mitigating the effects of climate change. It means striving to create a fairer world for all.
Equity and fairness
Climate justice demands that climate solutions are equitable and don’t worsen existing inequalities. This includes ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities are heard in decision-making processes and that they receive necessary climate adaptation support.
Historical responsibility
Industrialized nations are the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, while developing countries—despite contributing much less—face the most severe impacts of climate change. A 2015 Oxfam study found that the richest 10% of the global population produces nearly 50% of carbon emissions, while the poorest 50% contribute just 10%. Yet, it’s these vulnerable communities that are most affected by climate change.
Climate justice calls for these nations to take the lead in reducing emissions and providing financial and technical support to those most impacted.
Interconnection of issues
Climate justice recognizes the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic issues. Addressing climate change effectively requires a holistic approach that also tackles related issues such as poverty, racial injustice, and economic inequality.
What is meant by the term "Climate Injustice"?
Just as environmental racism identifies the unequal distribution of environmental burdens based on race, climate injustice refers to the disproportionate impacts of climate change on marginalized communities. Studies have shown that people living in low-income, Indigenous, and minority communities are more likely to suffer from extreme weather events, air pollution, and resource scarcity due to climate change.
For instance, coastal communities in developing nations are facing rising sea levels and the loss of homes and livelihoods. These same communities often lack the financial resources and infrastructure to adapt. Moreover, in urban areas around the world, poorer populations live closer to industrial zones, exposing them to higher levels of pollution.
The injustice lies in the fact that those most affected by climate change are often the least responsible for causing it. While wealthier nations have contributed significantly more to global carbon emissions, it is low-income and vulnerable populations who face the brunt of its consequences. Climate justice, therefore, seeks to correct this imbalance by ensuring that marginalized communities are prioritized in global climate solutions.
History of climate justice
The climate justice movement, much like the environmental justice movement, emerged from the understanding that marginalized communities bear the brunt of pollution and environmental degradation. Over time, climate justice has evolved from grassroots activism into a global movement addressing the unequal impacts of climate change on the world’s most vulnerable populations.
From Grassroots to Global Impact: The Rise of Climate Justice
1991 Washington D.C.
The First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit was a pivotal moment in the history of climate justice. Leaders and activists gathered to highlight the need for climate policies that not only address environmental concerns but also protect the most vulnerable. This summit made it clear: climate justice and social equity are deeply interconnected.
1992 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Earth Summit marked the first time that global leaders acknowledged the inseparability of environmental issues and social justice. The summit helped set the stage for climate justice to be integrated into international climate agreements, particularly for developing nations most impacted by climate change.
These early efforts were crucial in bringing climate justice to the forefront of global conversations, emphasizing that the fight against climate change must also be a fight for social and economic equity.
Shaping Policy Through Equity: A New Era of Climate Action
As the climate justice movement gained momentum, it began to shape global policies and agreements. These key moments transitioned climate justice from a grassroots movement into a recognized core principle within international climate agreements, solidifying the need for solutions that address both environmental and social inequities.
2007 New York, New York:
The Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) drew attention to the unequal impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations, especially in developing countries. The report emphasized that climate action must include equitable adaptation strategies, sparking a shift in how the world viewed climate justice. "Climate Justice is about more than just emissions—it's about equity and human rights," stated UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, following the report's release.
2016 Paris, France:
The Paris Agreement became a landmark moment in climate justice. This international treaty recognized the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", ensuring that wealthier nations, which historically contributed the most to climate change, bear greater responsibility in providing financial and technical support to developing nations. The agreement signaled a turning point: climate justice was now a central element in global climate action, ensuring that those least responsible for climate change would receive the most support in adapting to its effects.
Together, these events have helped to transition climate justice from a grassroots movement to a global policy priority, integrating social equity into the fight against climate change.
Climate justice in practice
Implementing climate justice involves several key strategies:
Just transitions
Shift from fossil fuel-based economies to renewable energy systems in a fair and inclusive way. This includes creating green jobs and supporting communities affected by the transition.
Community resilience
Build vulnerable communities’ capacity to adapt to climate impacts. Do this by supporting local initiatives and ensuring that adaptation measures are culturally appropriate and effective.
Indigenous rights
Respect and incorporate Indigenous knowledge and leadership in climate action. Indigenous communities often have a deep understanding of their local environments and can offer valuable insights into sustainable practices.
Natural climate solutions
Enhance natural ecosystems, such as forests and wetlands, which play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. Ensuring that these solutions benefit local communities and respect their rights is a fundamental aspect of climate justice.
What can I do to help?
Educate yourself
Learn about the principles of climate justice and how they apply to your community.
Support climate policies
Advocate for and support policies that prioritize equitable climate solutions and address the needs of vulnerable populations. Tell your representatives that you want to see more concrete action taken to accomplish climate justice.
Engage locally
Get involved with local organizations working on climate justice issues, that promote equity in the community, and who support community-based initiatives.
Natural climate solutions
Individual actions, when combined with those of others, can contribute to significant global changes. Reducing your carbon footprint and supporting sustainable actions not only lowers emissions but helps protect communities most vulnerable to climate change.
