Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen how those from Black, Asian, and minority ethnics (BAME) or low-income backgrounds have been disproportionately affected in terms of infection rates and the severity of the virus. It has been argued that the virus has only emphasised existing “health, social, economic and environmental inequalities” faced by vulnerable communities. 

THE IMPACT ON THOSE MOST VULNERABLE

Around the world, marginalised communities are disproportionately affected by pollution, climate change, and water contamination, to name but a few of the major issues. One example of this is the water pollution in Esmeraldas province in Ecuador, which has been linked to palm oil plantations and mining. This has directly caused skin rashes, genital infections, and other serious illnesses. The majority of the population in this area does not have access to healthcare or education, and many of them live well below the poverty line. The lack of protection from the government means that these communities are still using contaminated water to drink, shower, and wash their clothes. Not only has this infringed on their rights to healthcare and education, but has also been labelled “environmental racism” by a UN Special Rapporteur. This is particularly troubling when we consider that the province is home to the ethnic minority group of Afro-Ecuadorians, who are descendants of African slaves brought to this province. 

In the US, the town of Reserve, Louisiana has a risk of cancer 50 times higher than the national average. The predominantly Black community has been given the nickname “Cancer Alley,” as almost every single household has had somebody suffer from cancer. The primary cause for the extreme risk of cancer has been identified as the Pontchartrain Works facility, a toxic chemical plant, which releases carcinogenic chemicals into the community. The plant is only a few blocks away from the homes of many citizens and has been a cause for concern for many years. 

These issues are only two examples of where environmental injustices have a significantly worse impact on vulnerable communities, and this reality becomes far more disturbing when the reasons behind the inequality are considered. 

THE REASON BEHIND THE INEQUALITY 

“Racism dictates who get dumped on,” and the history of environmental justice demonstrates this. Dr. Robert Bullard started working on the environment and race in the late 1970s, collecting landfill data for a lawsuit. This study found that from the 1930s until 1978, 82% of all the waste in Houston was dumped in Black neighbourhoods, despite the fact that only 25% of the population was Black. Talking about the impact of environmental issues on native, Indigenous communities, Kandi Mossett-White says that “we cannot talk about environmental injustice without understanding the historical context of colonization and capitalism”. Indeed, it can be said that many environmental issues have resulted from decades of racism and oppression, disproportionately lowering the quality of life for minority groups and vulnerable communities. 

An example of this can be seen in the fact that Black communities in America tend to suffer more from disease-causing air pollution, particularly in low-income areas. However, the existence of predominantly Black neighbourhoods can be traced back to the racial segregation, which flowed from slavery. Though bankers and landlords have often been labelled as discriminatory and are certainly part of the explanation for this segregation, the true cause is much larger than this. In fact, a range of government policies and social norms led to “exclusionary zoning”. This refers to the way in which white people were encouraged to move to the suburbs, whilst Black people were restricted to neighbourhoods and communities that would ultimately be used to build factories and aid industrialisation by richer, typically white, businessmen, as was the case in Louisiana’s Cancer Alley. 

Considering the historical, disproportionate impact of environmental injustice on racial minorities and other vulnerable communities is essential in the fight for justice. The COVID-19 pandemic only highlights the immense inequity when it comes to the direct health and quality of life effects of systemic racism.

This article was published by Earth Refuge as part of our January 2021 collaboration with E&U for the Climate and Human Rights Pulse on Environmental Justice and Human Rights.

Tanya is a Law student heading into the final year of her degree at the University of Manchester. She is interested in bringing attention to human rights issues arising from her Pro-Bono work at University (volunteering at the Legal Advice Centre and taking part in volunteering projects). Her main goal is to become a Barrister practising in either Criminal or Family Law.

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