Achieving environmental justice –what’s the role of government,

civil society (and business)?

Michelle Maloney

∗ Asks some questions about how environmental justice can be achieved

∗ What is the role of government?

∗ What is the role of civil society?

∗ What is the role of business?

∗ Are these roles changing?

This talk

∗ the fair distribution of environmental ‘goods’ (such as parks, clean water, nutritious food) and ‘bads’ (such as landfills, pollution and impacts of climate change), and

∗ fair access to participate in environmental decision making and to obtain the resources necessary to adapt to changing environmental conditions (eg ability to respond to rising sea levels or increasing drought conditions; ability to respond to rising energy costs by being able to purchase efficient whitegoods).

���� who is responsible for this distribution and access?

Enviro/Eco Justice

∗ What is the role of government?

∗ Which government? Federal, State, Local

∗ Under the Australian legal system – inherited from the British legal system – government controls land use, makes the rules

∗ The Federal and State governments also share the powers to enforce its laws – police, prisons, army

∗ Local government created by State Constitution

The role of government(s)

∗ What is the government’s responsibilities regarding environmental justice?

∗ That depends on your world view – and your view of what governments are meant to do for their people

∗ Democracy – rule for the people by the people?

∗ Plutocracy – rule by the wealthy?

∗ Oligarchy – power rests with a small number of rich/powerful people?

The role of government(s)

∗ A failure of government and the law to protect people (and other species) across society from harm;

∗ A tendency of certain parts of the private sector to seek to maximise profits by externalising costs, with implications for people and the environment;

∗ A lack of explicit discussion of the distributional impacts of government policies and actions;

∗ Inadequacies in the tools and procedures for implementing environmental justice;

∗ Inequalities in access to these tools and procedures.

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Global Environmental Change Programme (2001). Environmental Justice: Rights and Means to a Healthy Environment for All. Special Briefing No.7.

University of Sussex, ESRC Global Environmental Change Programme: 1-24.

Causes of environmental injustice?

Role of government How environmental justice can be

accommodated

Allocation of land use – planning, development vs conservation

Permits allowing pollution and damage

• ‘Real’ incorporation of environmental considerations into development (earth centric view!)

• Greater public involvement in decision making

• Mapping social disadvantage and environmental impacts: addressing

Financial incentives for favoured industries (eg fossil fuels c/f renewable energy)

• Incentives for activities that nurture human and environmental health

Court system – access to justice • Third party rights; cost rules; good legislative provisions to protect env

Various funding programs for community

• Programs to support community empowerment – various portfolios

Achieving environmental justice Possibilities – some examples

** EJ can be incorporated piecemeal/ad hoc – or comprehensively

∗ USA

∗ 1992 Office of Environmental Justice (under Bush senior)

∗ 1994 – Clinton – Executive Order 12898 directing federal agencies to consider environmental factors that negatively affect people of colour.

∗ 2003 - Environmental Justice Advisory Council to support the EPA - collaborative partnerships; annual awards

∗ � these initiatives were created in response to intense civil society/NGO pressure

∗ Unfortunately, argued by many NGOs to be ineffectual

∗ UK Environment Agency – ‘Environmental Equality’ statement

∗ Australia

∗ Review of state government policies and approaches = Victoria doing some interesting work

Government ‘support’ for EJ- examples

∗ So what role can and should governments in Australia play in supporting environmental justice?

∗ Especially given our three levels of government

What does it all mean?

∗ Who is ‘civil society’?∗ If the government allocates resource use – what ‘rights’ does

civil society have?∗ Who ‘owns’ the environment?∗ What is the role of ‘civil society’ regarding ecological justice?

∗ Research, positive alternatives for the future?∗ Eg Vic EDO Environmental Justice research project∗ ‘Friends of Felton’ – Social justice award from Social Justice

Commission, Catholic Church Toowoomba – alternative energy vision

∗ Complain, protest, law reform, litigation?

∗ Civil disobedience?

∗ Are things changing?

The role of civil society

∗ Rise of civil society, NGOs – also rise of corporations and corporate control of resources

∗ Is there a role for big corporations or small SMEs in EJ?∗ Some thoughts

∗ Corporations often seen as ‘main offenders’ – can only be reigned in by government regulation; so it’s a problem if governments don’t manage impacts

∗ Some business groups can be allies ∗ eg Australia Institute research released mid November

“Mining the Truth: The Real Economic Impacts of the Mining Boom”– impact of coal on other business sectors

∗ Agforce and Manufacturer’s Union – concerned about the impact of coal and coal seam gas on the exchange rate; competition for human resources; ag land; “the economy”

∗ Role of SMEs in communities – allies?

Role of business?

∗ Rise of NGOs and civil society∗ (matches ‘rise’ of corporations and ‘decline’ of

government)

∗ New ideas for ecological and political governance∗ Occupy Movement – demonstrates depth of dissent

∗ Increasing calls for new economic paradigms;∗ Eg ‘Commons’ movement – increased role for community;

decreased power of corporate/state alliance

∗ New futures?

Changing times?