Search Results (342)

Environmental Health Literacy (EHL) empowers individuals and communities to understand and make informed decisions about health and the environment. This study uses bibliometric indicators to map the field, identifying patterns, emerging trends, and gaps that offer opportunities for future research. We analyze 152 articles from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The first publication was recorded in 2012, and there was a significant increase in output since 2018. The literature emphasizes environmental exposures and public health, with a growing focus on social justice and participatory research. While areas such as environmental exposure, environmental health, health literacy, and participatory research are well established, significant gaps remain in emerging and cross-cutting themes, including education, health risks, environmental/climate justice, community engagement, communication, and climate-related health literacy. These issues are increasingly central to debates on the intersection of health, environment, and social equity, as they are key to advancing environmental justice, reducing health inequalities, and empowering vulnerable populations to make informed decisions, contributing to the development of more inclusive and effective public policies. Full article

Rural transport remains a critical factor of social inclusion in South Africa, particularly for people with disabilities who rely on public transport. This study explores the experiences of minibus taxi drivers in transporting passengers with disabilities in Mt Elias, a rural community in the KwaZulu-Natal province. A qualitative research design was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with 15 drivers operating between Dalton and Mt Elias route. Thematic analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti to identify key patterns and relationships across the dataset. The four key themes that emerged from the dataset are: infrastructure and environmental challenges, accessibility and support for passengers, operational and economic constraints, and human interactions and attitudes. Findings reveal that drivers face multiple barriers, including poor road conditions, limited vehicle space, and a lack of formal training, yet many demonstrate empathy and commitment to assisting passengers with disabilities. The study highlights the need for targeted policy interventions to improve road infrastructure, provide disability awareness training for drivers, and redesign vehicles for accessibility. Promoting inclusive rural transport requires coordinated action among government spheres, taxi associations, and disability advocacy groups. This research contributes new insights into the lived realities of rural drivers and promotes the importance of inclusive mobility as a component of social justice. Full article

The ideals of community and collective action are key tenets of the environmental justice (EJ) movement. Yet the pervasive grind culture that underpins capitalist societies makes it challenging to embrace these core values. EJ convenings are organized by a variety of entities, including grassroots organizations, government agencies, environmental non-governmental agencies, and academic institutions, and often reflect the tone of the organizing entity. This work explores the impact of a community and academic partnered EJ summit in addressing ecological grief (eco-grief) and ecological anxiety (eco-anxiety), supporting collective action, and attending to healing justice. We interviewed thirteen participants who attended the 2024 Pittsburgh Environmental Justice Summit using semi-structured, open-ended questions. Drawing on insights from lived experiences with the environment and environmental harms, we sought to understand how participants perceived EJ, health, and healing, as well as the role of summits and community efforts in shaping these perspectives. Emotional impacts like eco-grief, eco-anxiety, and intergenerational trauma were other common themes established through the interviews. Despite negative emotions being more commonly expressed than positive emotions, hope emerged as the most widely expressed theme. The summit was viewed as a space for reflection, support, establishing new contacts, and promoting growth and resilience. The results underscore the importance of integrating emotional and psychological aspects into EJ frameworks as well as the value of community-based approaches that combine EJ and healing practices to foster resilience, promote equitable health outcomes, and cultivate hope through collective action and support. Full article

Climate change and sea-level change (SLC) are intensifying flooding in U.S. coastal communities, with disproportionate impacts on Black and minority neighborhoods that face displacement, economic hardship, and heightened health risks. In Norfolk, Virginia, sea levels are projected to rise by at least 0.91 m (3 ft) by 2100, placing underserved neighborhoods such as Oakleaf Forest at particular risk. This study investigates the compounded impacts of flooding at both the building and urban scales, situating the work within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). A mixed-method, community-based approach was employed, integrating literature review, field observations, and community engagement to identify flooding hotspots, document lived experiences, and determine preferences for adaptation strategies. Community participants contributed actively through mapping sessions and meetings, providing feedback on adaptation strategies to ensure that the process was collaborative, place-based, and context-specific. Preliminary findings highlight recurring flood-related vulnerabilities and the need for interventions that address both environmental and social dimensions of resilience. The study proposes multi-scale, nature-based solutions (NbS) to mitigate flooding, restore ecological functions, and enhance community capacity for adaptation. Ultimately, this work underscores the importance of coupling technical strategies with participatory processes to strengthen resilience and advance climate justice in vulnerable coastal neighborhoods. Full article

This research investigates the socioeconomic factors that lead to ineffective plastic waste management in household areas and their consequences for water sustainability in four villages in Guyana: Mon Repos, Lusignan, De Endragt, and Good Hope. The study uses a household survey (N = 384), chi-square tests, and a binary logistic model. It finds that labour status, schooling, and earnings affect unsafe disposal practices like dumping, incineration, or leaving garbage. The risk of inappropriate disposal is 20%, higher than the 6.8% among university graduates. The unemployed are at highest risk, with 32.7% at high risk. Low-income individuals (≤GYD $85,000) have a 21.9% rate, which is 2.5 times higher than the 7.6% rate among higher-income individuals. Strikingly, 63.2% of the high-risk households reported seeing “some” or “vast” amounts of dumped garbage in the close vicinity. It suggests a greater possibility of water contamination. Lacking direct proof of water quality, the strong correlation between socioeconomic disadvantage, litter visibility, and proximity to drainage infrastructure is one of the environmental justice concerns. The findings show plastic littering to be a structural issue associated with inequality, rather than purely individual behaviour, beyond the lack of access to sound waste management services. From a sustainability perspective, there needs to be a priority on straightforward strategies that encompass waste infrastructure development alongside poverty reduction and sustainable management practices. If these intrinsic disparities are not addressed, efforts to protect community water resources and realise SDGs 6, 10, and 12 will likely be futile. Full article

The scientific literature has explored the relationship between environmental justice and inequalities in the distribution and access to green spaces. This article analyses the neighbourhood of La Verneda (Barcelona) as one of the most successful cases of ecological urban transformation in Spain. Based on a Communicative Methodology approach that includes five in-depth dialogic interviews with residents and documentation from local institutions, the analysis identifies four core mechanisms driving the transformation: dialogic capacity building (through an adult education school), grassroots coalition-building (VERN and local associations), intergenerational design choices (spaces intentionally designed for mixed-age use), and symbolic place-claims (defense of the name La Verneda). These mechanisms contributed to measurable environmental and social outcomes reported by residents and illustrate how bottom-up processes can reconfigure urban planning trajectories. These findings contribute relevant lessons for contemporary ecological transitions in other urban peripheries. Full article

The aim of this article is to determine the extent to which (directly or indirectly) the papal teachings apply to cooperatives as tools for solving social, economic and environmental problems, which were defined by Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in accordance with CST by implementing the principles of solidarity, cooperation, justice and respect for human dignity. The analysis of various papal documents covers the period from the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII up to Francis. The popes appreciate the work of cooperatives. They serve their members by implementing Christian values, including in the cooperative movement known as Christian solidarity. Cooperatives had been developing since the 19th century, often thanks to the priests involved in their founding and management. Popes are interested in socio-economic issues, economic activity and its form as cooperatives. Their reflections encompass various issues related to cooperatives, ranging from the right of people to associate, the principles of cooperative activity, the tasks of cooperative members, the role of production, agricultural, banking, consumer, social, labour, and energy cooperatives, to the necessity of state support for this form of management. They also emphasize the achievement of universal personal, spiritual, and community values, as well as the need to promote the common good. Full article

Contemporary cities constitute both the primary site where the climate crisis manifests its most evident impacts and the privileged laboratory for testing strategies of adaptation and resilience. However, the growing emphasis on “climate neutrality” policies risks obscuring the social dimension of urban regeneration processes, thus generating new imbalances and forms of exclusion. This paper offers a critical reflection on the role of urban planning beyond climate neutrality, reorienting it towards a perspective of climate justice capable of integrating ecological transition goals with those of social and territorial cohesion. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining theoretical and documentary analysis with empirical case comparison, to investigate the relationship among urban regeneration, urban welfare, and spatial inequalities. The study aims to identify strategies for preventing climate gentrification, a phenomenon in which adaptation and mitigation measures—if not accompanied by adequate redistributive mechanisms—produce socio-spatial displacement effects that exclude the most vulnerable communities from the environmental benefits generated. The comparative analysis of two international case studies—Little Haiti (Miami) and the Green Corridors of Medellín (Colombia)—reveals two contrasting trajectories of the ecological transition: a regressive one, driven by market logics and real-estate valorization, and a progressive one, grounded in principles of equity, participation, and inclusive distribution of environmental benefits. Full article

Climate change education (CCE) is increasingly recognized as a key lever for responding to the climate crisis, yet its implementation in schools often remains fragmented and weakly transformative. This review synthesizes international research on CCE in secondary education, focusing on four interconnected domains: students’ social representations of climate change (SRCC), curricular frameworks, teaching practices and teacher professional development, and emerging pathways towards transformative, justice-oriented CCE. A narrative review of empirical and theoretical studies reveals that students’ SRCC are generally superficial, fragmented and marked by persistent misconceptions, psychological distance and low perceived agency. Curricular frameworks tend to locate climate change mainly within natural sciences, reproduce deficit-based and behaviorist models and leave social, political and ethical dimensions underdeveloped. Teaching practices remain predominantly transmissive and science-centered, while teachers report limited training, time and institutional support, especially for addressing the affective domain and working transdisciplinarily. At the same time, the literature highlights promising directions: calls for an “emergency curriculum” and deeper curricular environmentalization, the potential of socio-scientific issues and complexity-based approaches, narrative and arts-based strategies, school gardens and community projects, and growing attention to emotions, hope and climate justice. Drawing on a narrative and integrative review of empirical and theoretical studies, the article identifies recurrent patterns and gaps in current CCE research and outlines priorities for future inquiry. The review argues that bridging the knowledge–action gap in schools requires aligning curriculum, pedagogy and teacher learning around four key principles—climate justice, collective agency, affective engagement and global perspectives—and outlines implications for policy, practice and research to support more transformative and socially just CCE. Full article

US-affiliated Island nations and territories are home to diverse populations, including substantial Indigenous communities who have extensive exposure to marine and geoscience content, with some of their knowledge sustained through heritage practices. Despite this demographic presence, Indigenous peoples of the Pacific remain notably underrepresented in STEM fields, particularly in the geosciences and marine sciences. Beyond an equity gap in participation, this underrepresentation reflects broader issues of epistemic and representational justice, raising questions about whose knowledge is validated and whose voices are legitimized in scientific spaces. This study examines how Pacific university bridge programs support Indigenous islander participation in authentic STEM research, with particular focus on climate adaptation, environmental change, and marine science contexts. Through qualitative interviews with Micronesian participants in the SEAS (Supporting Emerging Aquatic Scientists) Islands Alliance, we analyzed STEM identity development as students navigated cultural and scientific identities. Findings emphasize the critical importance of sustained, mentored engagement in real-world scientific inquiry that meaningfully connects to ongoing research agendas and community well-being, rather than simulated classroom exercises. The study offers insights into the multifaceted influences affecting student participation and pathways through STEM. Full article

Community-engaged research has been pivotal in strengthening the impact of research efforts in policymaking by centering the voices of impacted communities to address environmental issues at the local level. CER at a statewide level presents opportunities to elevate local environmental justice issues to scale, but there are issues with how to do this and stay close to diverse local voices that are so much a part of community-engaged research methods. This article discusses the key components and tensions of scaling community-engaged research to a statewide level, using a 2024 equity assessment of the California Climate Investments jointly conducted by the USC Equity Research Institute and The Greenlining Institute as a case study. We posit that engaging in state-level CER can be challenging but equips researchers and local environmental justice leaders to both inform state-level policy recommendations and build state-level power. Below, we detail our experience of soliciting input from local community stakeholders and document how that led to recommendations around new policy, and more profoundly, about the need to build community power. We conclude with lessons learned and recommendations for future efforts to conduct larger-scale community-engaged research for environmental justice. Full article

The findings of this Systematic Review suggest that Green Social Work (GSW) is gaining momentum as a framework that integrates environmental sustainability with social and relational justice. In the context of climate emergencies and deepening socio-environmental inequalities, GSW proposes a transformative vision for professional practice and highlights the need to rethink the role of social work in addressing ecological challenges. This article presents a systematic review of academic literature aimed at analyzing the conceptual development, areas of application, and methodological characteristics of GSW. Fifteen peer-reviewed articles were selected through a structured search in five international databases, applying inclusion criteria that required explicit reference to the GSW framework. The review examines how GSW has been implemented in practice, education, community intervention, and policy design. The findings point to emerging patterns in the application of GSW across contexts of environmental vulnerability, such as disaster recovery, rural development, and climate justice, as well as its incorporation into professional training and ethical codes. However, the review also reveals the absence of shared operational definitions and the predominance of qualitative, exploratory studies with limited generalizability. Overall, GSW offers a valuable pathway for strengthening the contribution of social work to ecological and social challenges. Its integration into education, research, and policy can enhance professional responses to complex crises, although clearer operational frameworks and more robust empirical studies are needed to consolidate GSW as a key tool for socio-environmental transformation. Full article

While urban green spaces (UGS) are essential sources of environmental, social, and health benefits, their inequitable distribution is representative of deeply entrenched socio-economic and racial inequalities that exacerbate environmental justice (EJ) challenges in the planning of UGS. Based on a systematic literature review and case studies, this paper examines the intersection of EJ and UGS issues, including evidence of environmental racism, procedural exclusion of marginalised groups, the process of green gentrification, and the marginalisation of vulnerable populations. Results show that greening efforts often favour higher-income neighbourhoods at the expense of the most vulnerable residents in low-income areas. Utilising an EJ framework, including distributive, procedural, and recognitional dimensions, strategies for equitable urban greening include community-led planning and inclusive zoning, targeted funding, and nature-based solutions to address EJ concerns. This paper emphasises the importance of embedding justice and inclusion into the core of urban sustainability processes, noting that planning frameworks must give precedence to social equity if ecological goals are to result in fair access for all. Full article

This article compares the roles of allotments and community gardens in democratising London’s urban food system. Drawing from ethnographic and participatory action research (PAR), it reveals a recent policy shift favouring community gardens compared to allotments, which has resulted in a net reduction in long-term urban agriculture space in London. The study contrasts these two trajectories of urban agriculture across five democratic processes: (1) fostering food security, (2) expanding health benefits, (3) reclaiming the commons, (4) building spaces of interaction and representation, and (5) decoupling from dominant regimes. While community gardens tend to perform well in terms of social inclusion and environmental education of local communities and marginalised populations, allotments tend to be more successful in terms of productive capacity and developing autonomy due to their relatively more secure tenure. However, both trajectories are increasingly challenged by the dynamics of neoliberal urban development and the withdrawal of the state from its welfare responsibilities. This article argues that both trajectories do not have to be mutually exclusive and that their coexistence is in fact necessary to develop a more resilient urban food system, one that realises the principles of food sovereignty, social justice, and agroecological urbanisms at the local level. Full article

Despite vast wind energy potential, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) has historically lagged in installed capacity due to socioeconomic and technical barriers. The emergence of hydrogen as an alternative energy carrier has transformed prospects for a wind industry on the island, allowing for the possibility of exports. Since the lifting of a provincial wind energy moratorium in 2022, several companies have proposed more than 25 gigawatts (GW) of wind-to-hydrogen (W2H) capacity. Proponents and opponents differ considerably in their view on whether W2H projects will advance provincial sustainability—a debate which can be further understood through energy justice analysis. Given the current lack of empirical evidence, the study adopts a systematic review of media reports pertaining to six leading W2H projects in the province. Basic descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, etc.) are used to describe the metadata and preliminary coding process. Deductive and inductive thematic analysis are then applied to the complete dataset of online news articles (n = 112) with the support of a qualitative data management software (NVivo, Version 14). The findings build upon, challenge, and make novel contributions to several tenets of energy justice. From a distributive justice perspective, temporal variations in employment, centralization of resource revenues, and the anthropocentric nature of defined risks are highlighted. From a procedural justice perspective, social acceptance of projects, as well as the shortcomings of environmental impact assessment, are elaborated. From a recognition justice perspective, the paper demonstrates Indigenous involvement in W2H governance, yet demands an interrogation of intra- and intercommunity diversity. From a cosmopolitan justice perspective, the paper finds weak evidence of supporting vulnerable global populations through decarbonization, yet some prospects through enhancing energy security for importing countries. With respect to media reporting, the findings illustrate the outsized role of independent media in advancing evidence-based justice discourses and the central function of public media in covering rural natural resource developments. Ultimately, this study urges policymakers and private developers to ensure fair benefit distribution, deep participation, and inclusion of diverse communities during the formative stages of the W2H industry in NL and beyond. Full article