Environmental Justice

As the demand for cobalt and other conflict minerals continues to grow with greater inception of smartphones and other forms of technology, attention must be drawn to the injustices women and children are facing in these mines to increase regulation and force large corporations and multinationals to enforce supply monitoring.

Women and children are especially impacted by this lack of water, having to spend up to one-third of the day getting water for their families.

Women have been leading a charge to end these environmental conflicts as they often spend all day together cultivating lands, farming, and taking care of their families, providing a uniquely united front rare in an area of conflict.

Meaningful engagement with Black residents and other frontline communities is essential to ensure that the policies proposed respect their unique needs.

Beaufort is located in Carteret County, North Carolina and boasts one of the highest biodiversity in the state. Beaufort is a “‘frontline community’ because of its position along the coast and extreme susceptibility to the impacts these hazards bring.”

Chisom Nnajiofor went from climate change skeptic to advocate after seeing local impacts firsthand in Borno state, Nigeria. Her eye-opening personal journey mirrors our challenge to recognize AND act on the climate crisis.

Ahmed Tijani recounts how climate change impacts like desertification and water scarcity enabled violence and instability in Nigeria's Sahel region, leading him to advocate for climate action.

On July 18th, the District Attorney of Washington DC, Brian L. Schwalb, announced that the city would be suing more than 25 chemical companies for creating a “public nuisance” by polluting the city.

In 2018, over 17 million gallons of sewage overflowed in Baltimore and 25 billion gallons of stormwater runoff, making stormwater runoff one of Baltimore’s fastest-growing sources of pollution.

The Justice40 Initiative recognizes that while the climate and energy goals can’t be accomplished without the contribution and participation of all communities, the climate crisis does not impact all communities equally.

In a major decision, a Wisconsin judge has ordered the re-routing of part of the controversial Line 5 pipeline, to be completed within three years.

With almost a year in practice, we are now looking for answers on how much this program has actually done for communities in need.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce continues its legacy of going beyond promoting deregulation and government inaction to advocating for government actions that actively harm marginalized populations including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, low-income, women, and disabled communities.

Why the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action can have severe repercussions for environmental justice laws.

Despite the Keystone XL pipeline posing a serious threat to several Native American communities, the Chamber’s focus was on preserving their economic benefits.

By including and uplifting the voices of women and supporting female-led initiatives in the climate change conversation, we broaden and deepen our understanding of a problem that disproportionately affects not only women, but many other marginalized communities.

We offer research and suggestions on how the Biden administration can use the Justice40 Initiative to support low-income, minority and frontline communities affected by climate change.

An already vulnerable demographic, Indigenous people are suffering greatly from the climate crisis, leading many to either flee their native lands or fight to protect them.