Pirate's Cove

It’s almost like the whole anthropogenic climate change movement is all about far left Progressive politics

Why Climate Change Action Cannot Succeed Without Social Equity

Over 120 cities and counties in California have a climate action plan either completed or in the pipeline.  As cities develop these plans and initiatives to address climate change, it is important to emphasize that social equity is integrated within environmental policies. The vulnerabilities, resilience and sustainability of the human ecosystem are as much determined by diversity and interdependence as its natural counterpart. As Pope Francis said inLaudato Sí, “a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”

Sustainability is framed as a three-legged stool consisting of the three ‘E’s: environment, economy and equity. However, the third leg, social and economic equity, is often the weakest.

If you click the article link, you’ll see a cute little graphic at the top, which includes the phrases “Distributive Justice” and “Address Structural Imbalance”. Huh. Where do we hear things like that?

In an earlier article, I have argued that community empowerment is a necessary condition for sustainability. This is because empowerment balances out the forces that make our world unsustainable. I will further argue that sustainability itself can distribute justice, creating a benevolent reinforcing cycle between empowerment, engagement and equity. For example, sustainable modes of commuting like transit, walking and biking promote social movements through increased social interactions in the public domain. And consequently, these social movements both use and politically support these modes.

Sounds more like a political movement than any true concern for “the environment”.

Here are three strategies for integrating equity within climate actions plans:

• Establish enforceable thresholds for equity issues such as poverty/income, affordable housing, transportation/transit, and targeted socio-economic benefits.
• Integrate equity in the administration and implementation of all environmental plans, policies and regulations throughout city departments.
• Institutionalize diversity in terms of both leadership, as well as in outreach among stakeholders.

But, please don’t say that this is far left politics. Of course, this is all about creating more and more Governmental control over citizen’s lives.