Environmental Racism is Only Getting Worse

Racism and environmental health are two issues that are completely intertwined, however, it is something that people do not immediately connect.

President Biden is making these issues more prevalent to the public through his latest initiative that was announced where he promised to address environmental racism. Racism is an issue that some presidents have tried to address and make a priority. However, it is still an ongoing issue as well as a public health emergency.

Climate change continues to get worse and worse every year as right-wing politicians refuse to make the advancements necessary to address the issue (or refuting science altogether and describing climate change as a liberal conspiracy theory). Over the past decade all over the world, we have witnessed historical hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding, and heatwaves. It has come to a point where these disastrous weather events are now just becoming the norm and we are not as shocked when California goes through ‘yet another’ heat wave and devastating fire season.

Something all of these disasters have in common is the skewed impact that it has on people of color. As the storms get larger and more destructive so does the devastating impact on these communities.

A recent example is the Flint water crisis.

Flint, MI - January 23rd: Flint water tower is being illuminated. Photo by Brett Carlson/Getty Images

“The water crisis in Flint, a majority-Black city of about 100,000, is the “most egregious” example of environmental injustice and racism in recent history, says Paul Mohai, a University of Michigan professor who has studied the U.S. environmental justice movement for decades.” (Ewg, Environmental racism: A public health crisis)

The effects of these environmental disasters disproportionally affect communities of color, where the systems put in place are founded and built on systematic racism.

President Biden is making the step to address these issues.

“The Biden administration has pledged an aggressive, broad-based approach to achieve environmental justice. Among a raft of executive actions on the climate Biden signed on Wednesday was one creating a White House council on environmental justice and a pledge that 40% of the benefits from federal investments in clean energy and clean water would go to communities that bear disproportionate pollution.” (Hersher, Hope and skepticism as Biden promises to address environmental racism 2021)

Although the implementation of policies is a good way to begin to address these environmental racism issues, the administration, as well as the country, have to recognize the government's past relationship with people of color. The role of racism in society has long affected this country and it is important to understand this role and how it has impacted and currently impacts these communities especially as climate change continues to get worse and these environmental disasters are inevitable for the future.

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Sources:

Ewg. (n.d.). Environmental racism: A public health crisis. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from https://www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2021/02/environmental-racism-public-health-crisis?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-environmentalworkinggroup&utm_content=later-14964689&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram

Hersher, R. (2021, January 29). Hope and skepticism as biden promises to address environmental racism. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from https://www.npr.org/2021/01/29/956012329/hope-and-skepticism-as-biden-promises-to-address-environmental-racism