{"id":70066,"date":"2025-05-13T00:47:30","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T04:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=70066"},"modified":"2025-06-02T00:57:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T04:57:44","slug":"environmental-justice-climate-justice-whats-the-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/70066\/environmental-justice-climate-justice-whats-the-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Environmental justice, climate justice \u2013 what\u2019s the difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The struggle for environmental justice and climate justice is one of the most important of our time. Read on for the things you need to know!<\/p>\n\n

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Over 300 young community leaders from the world\u2019s most climate-impacted countries came together at the third annual Climate Justice Camp, in Tanzania in 2024. Together, they created strategies for climate action. \u00a9 Magsman Media \/ Greenpeace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Environmental justice<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Everyone has the right to live and work in a clean, safe, and healthy environment. It shouldn\u2019t matter what a person\u2019s race, ability, disability, gender, sexual orientation, income, or nationality is when it comes to how well they are protected from environmental harm.<\/p>\n\n

Unfortunately, that\u2019s not how the world works right now. Pollution and other environmental problems affect some communities<\/a> more than others, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and low-income communities. <\/p>\n\n

We can see examples in many places in Canada. It\u2019s not safe<\/a> for people to drink the water from their taps in some Indigenous communities. Landfills and dumps are more likely to be near Mi\u2019kmaw and Black communities<\/a> in Nova Scotia, exposing them to more pollution.<\/p>\n\n

When environmental problems unfairly affect BIPOC communities, it\u2019s called environmental racism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

For real justice to happen, the communities most affected by injustice must have a say in how their communities are shaped. And they must be involved in creating solutions, like new environmental laws, to address existing injustices.<\/p>\n\n

Climate justice<\/h2>\n\n

Climate justice <\/strong>is a type of environmental justice with a specific focus. It looks at how climate change doesn\u2019t affect all communities equally, and what can be done to make things more fair.<\/p>\n\n

Low-income countries and communities, BIPOC communities, women, and people with disabilities suffer more during climate disasters, like floods, wildfires, droughts, rising temperatures, and rising seas. Many of the people who are most at risk from climate disasters are the least responsible for causing them.<\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s the richest countries and businesses that have created the most greenhouse gas pollution over time. In fact, they\u2019ve made a lot of their money that way! People working for climate justice are calling on them to take responsibility for what they\u2019ve done by helping the countries and people harmed the most.<\/p>\n\n

A few examples of climate injustice<\/h2>\n\n