In 1989, Kimberlé Crenshaw formulated the term intersectional, in which the term was formerly used to explain the oppression felt by African American women in the feminist movement. Very simply, it explained how feminism does not focus on the fact that women come from different classes, ethnicities, abilities and sexualities (etc.), and favours the needs of those who are white, middle-class, heterosexual, cisgender and able-bodied. Intersectional environmentalism has been built on this premise, with the term being formally defined by black climate activist Leah Thomas in the height of the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd:
“Intersectional Environmentalism is an inclusive version of environmentalism that advocates for both the protection of people and the planet. It identifies the ways in which injustices happening to marginalised communities and the earth are interconnected. It brings injustices done to the most vulnerable communities, and the earth, to the forefront and does not minimise or silence social inequality. Intersectional environmentalism advocates for justice for people and the planet” - Leah Thomas, Climate Activist
To understand why intersectionality is so essential to the environmental movement is to examine how different marginalised groups are more negatively affected by the climate crisis. Here are a selection of examples:
People of colour
The term ‘Environmental Racism’ was coined by African American civil rights leader Benjamin Chavis describes the fact that minority and marginalised communities are disproportionately burdened with health hazards through policies and practices that force them to live in proximity to environmentally degraded locations. Communities of colour are more likely to live in areas with air pollution, and be situated nearer environmentally hazardous locations such as fracking sites, waste incinerators and landfill. A government report written in the U.K. identified that black British children are exposed to up to 30% more air pollution than white children.
People of colour are also much more likely to be affected by the consequences of climate change, specifically those living in the global south due to the increasing frequency of heatwaves, crop failures and extreme weather. However, the evidence is also clear in the Global North (for example with Hurricane Katrina), the worst damages are found in predominantly Black neighbourhoods, with black people and those of other minority residents making up 58 percent of those whose neighbourhoods were flooded, though they made up only 45 percent of the metropolitan population. Within the city itself, 80 per cent of people who had lived in the flooded areas were non-white.
Women
Studies have shown women are more likely to be affected by climate change than men in numerous ways. Heat waves, droughts, rising sea levels, and extreme storms disproportionately affect women, due to the fact that women are more likely to live in poverty than men, have less access to basic human rights like the ability to freely move and acquire land, and are more likely to suffer human-rights abuses in the aftermath of disasters such as human-trafficking or sexual violence at temporary accommodation or as refugees. These factors, and many more, mean that as climate change intensifies, women will struggle the most.
Verona Collantes, an intergovernmental specialist with UN Women, told Global Citizen that “The IPCC [International Panel on Climate Change] found that gender inequalities are further exaggerated by climate-related hazards, and they result in higher workloads for women, occupational hazards indoors and outdoors, psychological and emotional stress, and higher mortality compared to men”.
Although research shows that women are more likely to care for the environment and the state of our planet, women make up a small minority of policy makers, scientific and economic experts, entrepreneurs, and spokespeople. Voices of those who are being affected most by the climate crisis and consequential environmental disasters, are needed the most in policy implementation.
Ingenious communities
Indigenous people are often able to quickly recognise the effects of climate change and feel its impacts the hardest due to their lifestyles of living closer and in balance with the land. Ancestral land is often used without proper consultation, and is repurposed for the use of industries which impose a large environmental impact including mining, logging, pipelines and large scale agriculture. This is because very few countries recognise indigenous land rights, with many policy and conservation programs being based on the concept that humans should be separated from nature to preserve. This has has led to the forced eviction of indigenous communities, without recognising their custodian relationship with the environment which is sustainable for both them and surrounding ecosystems. They have also suffered violence and displacement without consent or consultation due to renewable projects such as hydroelectric dams, wind energy and biofuels.
LGBTQ+ Communities
Climate change related events are much more likely to impact those without stable housing. Homeless people are by definition the most exposed to weather conditions and the social and economic problems caused by extreme weather and climate change and variability. LQBTQ+ people are more likely to be homeless, with 24% of homeless youth in the UK are from the LGBTQ+ community.
Sunil Pant, a Nepalese activist and former politician, has also commented on how LGBT+ people are more likely to suffer from natural environmental disasters due to often being denied relief as "they do not fit the traditional family set-up of husband and wife". The activist has explained that he has “seen Nepalese authorities refuse to certify that the houses of two transgender people that had been destroyed in the 2015 earthquake needed to be rebuilt”. Even in developed countries such as the United States of America, trans people have faced discrimination during devastating natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, but being turned away from emergency shelters.
People with Disabilities
Broadly speaking, many people with disabilities live in greater poverty with more significant challenges than the general population. Depending on their disabilities, they may be less able to evacuate or migrate due to limited mobility or impaired senses, be more vulnerable to contracting diseases and suffer from limited health services, or have limited limited access to knowledge, resources, and services to effectively respond to environmental change. In an environmental disaster, for example a Hurricane, people with disabilities would require a different level of support for their disability, including early access to shelter, access to transport, social supports, medical assistance, and so on. If hurricanes, wildfires, summer heat waves, or flooding become more frequent, everyone's needs shift into a higher category.
What can I do about Intersectional Environmentalism?
So, in reality, what can we do? One of the most important things is to educate yourself. There are so many resources on intersectional environmentalism out there from books, to podcasts and articles, with a personal favourite being Leah Thomas' platform of resources on intersectional environmentalism. Share this knowledge with friends, family, online, but most importantly uplift the voices of marginalised people in the environmental movement. Campaign not just for climate policies and zero carbon commitments, but for a ’Just Transition’ which prioritises the needs of oppressed communities who need it most (as explained above).
Here are a few of our favourite resources for learning more:
On social media, we love the educational and empowering content made by these activists: @greengirlleah, @mikaelaloach, @queerbrownvegan and @browngirl_green.