Exploring the Nexus: Bringing Together Sustainability, Environmental Justice and Equity

TLDR

Environmental quality is increasingly recognized as linked to human equality at all scales. The article examines environmental justice and sustainability traditions, reviews human rights and environmental security to find common ground, and calls for governments to embed environmental justice principles into sustainable development policy. The authors briefly review human rights and environmental security issues to identify potential common ground between environmental justice and sustainability. The authors find convergence between the traditions, driven mainly by progressive NGOs, academics, and local community organisations worldwide.

Abstract

In recent years it has become increasingly apparent that the issue of environmental quality is inextricably linked to that of human equality at all scales. This article examines the differing traditions and approaches of environmental justice and sustainability, and explores some of their theoretical bases. It also briefly reviews human rights and environmental security issues in order to discern the potential for common ground between the two main traditions. The authors argue that there are indications of convergence between these traditions and that this convergence is happening primarily through the activities of progressive NGOs, academics and local community organisations world-wide. What is now needed is for governments at local, regional, national and international levels to learn from these organisations and to seek to embed the central principles and practical approaches of environmental justice within emerging sustainable development policy.