3. right to environmental justice
Around the world, the most marginalized
people are very often the targets of
environmental injustices. Companies do
business so as to avoid liability for their
activities, and the absence of
environmental and social regulations has
allowed many corporate crimes to go
unpunished. With meaningful means of
redress, communities would be able to right
corporate wrongs in national courts,
through international mechanisms and with
the establishment of home country liability
for corporations that misbehave abroad.
In an attempt to draw attention to
environmental discrimination, Friends of
the Earth Scotland provides support and
training for environmental justice
activists all over the country. One
manifestation of environmental injustice is
environmental racism, which
disproportionately targets and harms the
environment, quality of life and security
of communities, workers and individuals
based on race, class, gender, caste,
ethnicity and/or national origin. In the
United States , communities of color and
indigenous peoples bear the brunt of
pollution due to deliberate corporate and
government policies.
Climate justice is an emerging demand
due to the increasing human rights
violations associated with climate change.
It will be the earth's most marginalized
people who will be the hardest hit by
global climate change, despite the historic
contribution of the rich nations to this
pending catastrophe. Friends of the Earth
International's Climate Justice Project is
supporting communities in the Niger Delta
whose livelihoods are being spoiled by
polluting oil companies. Friends of the
Earth United States and climate victims in
that country are suing the US government
for failing to address global warming, and
Friends of the Earth Nepal is working with
Himalayan communities threatened by melting
glacial lakes.
