Climate justice

Climate justice is a movement that recognizes that climate change is unequally affecting people in the Global South, Indigenous Peoples and the most marginalized communities in the Global North. These unequal impacts are the result of our governing systems; systems that exploit land and bodies, which are capitalism, colonialism, patriarchy, extractivism, racism etc. These are systems of oppression that interact, feed and build upon each other, and thus perpetuate each other. Climate justice puts forward the need to understand the climate crisis as an intersectional issue where the structures that cause and sustain it must be addressed simultaneously.

Because those who have contributed the least to climate change are the most affected, the climate justice movement calls for centring those who are most marginalized. This means following their leadership, centring their realities, concerns and demands. It requires the liberation and emancipation of all from systems of oppression. These systems are the source of ongoing ecocide. They produce and perpetuate structural social inequalities that are amplified in the face of the climate crisis. The climate crisis is more than an environmental crisis. It amplifies existing crises and creates new ones. - The HUB

"Climate change is not just a physical problem that can be addressed with simple technological solutions, like electric cars. It is not enough to stop emitting CO2. Rather, environmental destruction is a symptom of a system that is based on social injustices." - The David Suzuki Foundation

Examples of social justice being intertwined with climate justice are demonstrated below.

Examples of climate justice

Disability justice	Disability justice is "a framework that moves beyond the legislation-centric approach of the disability rights movement; a social movement guided by ten principles: intersectionality, leadership of those most impacted, anti-capitalist politic, commitment to cross-movement organizing, recognizing wholeness, sustainability, commitment to cross-disability solidarity, interdependence, collective access, and collective liberation." -Sins Invalid, adapted by Michelle Xie See our page on making your activism accessible for examples to help understand why disability justice is climate justice.
Food justice	Food justice can be describes as the right for everyone to grow, sell, and have access to foods that are fresh, culturally appropriate, nutritious, and affordable; movement that aims to transform food systems by prioritizing the wellbeing of workers, animals, and the environment. -Black Creek Farm, adapted by Michelle Xie
Migrant justice	Migrant justice is "a movement that calls for an end to displacement, detainment, and deportations; the fight for immigration status for all migrants, refugees, students, workers, and undocumented people." -Radical Action With Migrants in Agriculture & Migrant Rights Network, adapted by Michelle Xie See our definitions page for migrant for examples to help understand why migrant justice is climate justice.
Indigenous sovereignty	See our definitions page for more on Indigenous sovereignty.
Abolition	See our definitions page for more on Abolition.

If you have any suggested revisions or additional resources to share related to the above content, please email them to kenzie@lehub.ca.

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