Higher Education Needs a New Mission. How About Climate Justice?
Boston Globe, 01 Sep 2022
In Boston, we’re proud of our “eds and meds”-driven innovation. Metro Boston has more universities per capita than any other region in the world. Given that colleges and universities claim to advance innovation for the public good, one might assume their density here would place us among the most healthy, equitable, socially just urban areas. Instead, Boston consistently ranks as one of the most unequal, segregated cities in the country, with extreme disparities in health, wealth, and climate vulnerability. Could our institutions of higher education be doing more with their abundant resources to promote a better future for all? As concerned academics, we see huge opportunity for colleges and universities to help build a more just, equitable, and climate-resilient society. We think a commitment to climate justice would provide the necessary framework.
Environmental Justice Advocates Respond to the Inflation Reduction Act
Sierra Club, 01 Sep 2022
On August 16, President Joe Biden signed into law a historic investment to address climate change, including funds for renewable energy, clean manufacturing, and environmental justice. The Inflation Reduction Act has the potential to slash the United States’ carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and includes billions of dollars designated for low-income areas. But for many environmental justice advocates, the climate wins come with compromises that are hard to accept.
Gabon on Track to Become a Model in the Fight Against Global Climate Change
United Nations Sustainable Development Group, 31 Aug 2022
Despite the progress Gabon has made over the last several decades to scale up its environmental protection measures and reduce carbon emissions, the overall global outlook for the climate remains dire. Water levels in rivers and lakes around the world have now reached historic lows. Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East have experienced unprecedented heatwaves this summer as well as devastating and longer lasting wildfires. Glaciers are melting at a pace never seen before, and deforestation continues around the world. The African continent continues to be most affected by the impacts of climate change, yet its people have contributed very little to the issue.
US Wildfires are a Reproductive Justice Issue
Human Rights Watch , 29 Aug 2022
Wildfires raged across the United States this summer, devastating communities and threatening reproductive health and justice, highlighting the need for accessible, comprehensive guidance for pregnant people.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Deadly Air Pollution Killing Thousands
Human Rights Watch , 29 Aug 2022
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s authorities have failed to tackle the country’s horrific air pollution, which kills thousands of people prematurely each year and is detrimental to the health of thousands more, Human Rights Watch said today. The country’s reliance on coal and wood for heat and coal for electricity generation makes cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina some of the world’s most polluted during the winter months. The country has the fifth-highest mortality rate from air pollution.
