This document discusses environmental, ecological, and climate justice. It begins by outlining the history and definition of environmental justice as fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental policymaking, regardless of race or income. It then discusses how the concept has expanded to global ecological justice and the need for justice between people, generations, and humanity/nature. Finally, it examines the negotiations around climate justice, from the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol establishing differentiated responsibilities for developed and developing countries, to the Paris Agreement aiming to limit warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius. It emphasizes that civil society groups advocate for climate justice now to represent the interests of Global South social movements.

1. “WHAT IS THE POINT OF
STOPPING CLIMATE
CHANGE IF MY PEOPLE
STILL CAN’T HAVE
JUSTICE?”

2. “WHAT IS THE POINT OF
STOPPING CLIMATE
CHANGE IF MY PEOPLE
STILL CAN’T HAVE
JUSTICE?”
Environmental justice, ecological justice, and climate
justice.

3. OUTLINE
A. Introduction to environmental justice
B. From environmental justice to global ecological justice
C. Anthropocentric versus eco-centric justice
D. Climate justice – in the negotiations
E. Climate justice – in civil society

4. (A) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
“Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful
involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national
origin, or income, with respect to the development,
implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws,
regulations, and policies.”
- US EPA

7. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
“Racial discrimination in the deliberated targeting of ethnic and minority
communities for exposure to toxic and hazardous waste sites and facilities,
coupled with the systematic exclusion of minorities in environmental policy
making, enforcement, and remediation.”
- Former NAACP director Dr. Benjamin Franklin Chavis, Jr

8. (B) FROM ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
TO GLOBAL ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE
As above, so below…
‘In the developed world only two people ride in a car, and yet you want us to
give up riding on a bus.’
- Lead Chinese negotiator, COP 3 in Kyoto, 1997

12. (C) ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE: “THE NEW
ETHIC” OF SUSTAINABILITY
• The first recorded uses of the concept of ecological sustainability were in
the 1970s.
• The UN-commissioned 1987 Brundtland Report called for “a new ethic” of
sustainability to guide States’ actions.
• Two forms – strong and weak.

14. JUSTICE IN THREE DIMENSIONS
• Justice between people and peoples
• Justice between generations
• Justice between humanity and nature

15. (D) CLIMATE JUSTICE: THE
NEGOTIATIONS
1. Rio 1992: The Convention
2. Berlin Mandate and Kyoto Protocol
3. Bali Action Plan and Copenhagen
4. Durban Mandate and Paris

17. BUT FIRST: THE
SCIENCE
1. Mean global temperatures have
warmed by 1ºC (Hawkins).
2. Atmospheric CO2 is now consistently
above 400ppm.
3. One tonne of methane has 21 times
the warming impact over 100 years
as one tonne of CO2 (UNFCCC).
4. We are looking at 2.7-3.5ºC warming
this century (Hare et al).

18. (1) COMMON BUT DIFFERENTIATED
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and
future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance
with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities. Accordingly, the developed country Parties should take the lead
in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof.
- UNFCCC, art 3(1)

19. (2) BERLIN TO KYOTO (1995-
1997)
‘In the developed world only two people ride in a car, and yet
you want us to give up riding on a bus.’
- Lead Chinese negotiator, COP 3 in Kyoto, 1997
• Berlin mandate imposed strict firewall of differentiation
• Carried over into Kyoto Protocol
• So, the US refused to ratify Kyoto - and it only entered
force in 2005

20. NEGOTIATING DYNAMICS
Ambitious / Cooperative
Lacking ambition, lacking cooperation
DevelopedDeveloping

21. NEGOTIATING DYNAMICS
Ambitious / Cooperative
Lacking ambition, lacking cooperation
DevelopedDeveloping
Europe
Umbrella Group
LMDCs
BAS IC
LDCs
SIDS / AOSIS

22. (3) BALI TO COPENHAGEN
(2007-2009)
1. With the US outside Kyoto, by 2006 most states
recognised a need for something more.
2. In 2007, negotiations started on a new climate deal, due
to be concluded in Copenhagen in 2009.

23. COPENHAGEN
Oh dear.

24. (4) THE DURBAN RESET:
APPLICABLE TO ALL
• New process launched.
• Three key points:
1. an agreement ‘with legal force’
2. ‘under the Convention applicable to all Parties’
3. to be agreed in 2015 and implemented from 2020

25. (5) THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT
• Agreed last December, signed in April.
• Aims to limit warming to “well below 2ºC” and aim for 1.5ºC (art 2).
• Nationally determined mitigation targets to be reviewed every five
years:
• “Facilitative dialogue” in 2018 (Decision, cl 20).
• “Global stocktake” of mitigation commitments scheduled for
2023 (art 14).
• Wide range of (less relevant) finance and adaptation mechanisms.

26. (E) CLIMATE JUSTICE IN CIVIL
SOCIETY
• The term is used by everyone from the Pope in Laudato Si to former
heads of state (eg the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice).
• Numerous different meanings, depending on the balance between the
three axis of ecological justice.
• But the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice and/or Climate
Justice Now represent civil society’s widely held understanding – and
speak for Global South social movements millions strong.

27. CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW: MEANING

28. QUESTIONS