Environmental Racism: Analysis of Economic and Political Context and Solutions

Environmental Racism: Analysis of Economic and Political Context and Solutions
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Environmental Racism: Analysis of Economic and Political Context and Solutions
Introduction
Environmental racism is one of the most heinous impacts of environmental pollution with underlying political stimulants; this environmental menace involves systemic exposure of marginalized communities to toxic pollutants. Although political motives constitute a significant stimulant for environmental pollution, its economic impact on marginalized communities is also apparent. Discriminatory politics and policymaking and enforcement of biased environmental laws expose ethnic minorities to severe health and economic consequence in a deliberate attempt to subdue a segment of the population (Beech, 2020). The intrinsic relationship between environmental racism is politics is obvious; however, the sway of economic factors is of no lesser significance in the whole scenario. According to scholars, other than race, the socioeconomic status of a locality also plays crucial in increasing the chances of environmental racism, as regions of low socioeconomic status are more than likely to suffer from this menace (Bullard, 2020).
Exposing these neighbourhoods to toxic waste also decreases the economic efficiency of the people by compromising their social benefits and profile (Willers, 1996). In America, the problem of environmental racism and its link to a lack of political will is apparent, as indicated by the excessive exposure of minority communities living in Houston, Texas, to hazardous pollutants (Bullard, 2020). Similarly, according to another credible report, more than 75% of black Americans are more than likely to suffer from the health and economic hazards of environmental racism as they live in proximity to oil and gas facilities (Garza, 2021). In view of these facts, this essay aims to explore the relationship between politics and environmental racism, highlighting how this relationship exposes ethnic minorities to environmental hazards, such as landfills. Moreover, this discussion also evaluates the economic and health impact of environmental racism on the people of marginalized communities with an aim to provide solutions using various economic approaches.
Environmental Racism: The Relationship with Politics
Several credible research studies have exposed the political and social factors behind environmental racism; according to The United Church of Christ's (1987) Report, the number of hazardous facilities installed in the neighbourhood of people of colour is double the number of same facilities in a white neighbourhood. This study also verified using statistics and facts that race is a crucial factor (Bryant & Mohai, 2019). In this regard, scholars argue that despite the economic factor that forces poor people of colour to live in polluted neighborhoods, the role of politics in aggravating their problems is instrumental. Since people of colour usually have low socioeconomic status, they exercise little political clout; moreover, industrialists tend to avoid any form of political confrontation and select these regions as they offer the least political resistance to their obnoxious activities (Bryant & Mohai, 2019).
Furthermore, lack of literacy and awareness of political rights is another cause of exploitation of racial minorities through environmental racism; since most members of these communities are unaware of current affairs, political manoeuvring, and policymaking, they do not offer resistance to this violation of their fundamental rights (Bryant & Mohai, 2019). This aspect of the issues of pollution faced by minority communities makes it clear that the role of political decisions and institutions is the most significant factor in increasing their plight and environmental discrimination. The lack of political will to protect marginalized communities has been a real problem for a long time in America as local and state governments continue to neglect marginalized communities in their efforts to build "climate resilient" communities (Garza, 2021).
The underrepresentation of minority communities in political parties, local and state-level governing bodies, and institutions is also a significant factor that exacerbates the problem of environmental racism. Since people of colour do not hold sway in local institutions, they face difficulties accessing policymakers and finding strong advocates for their rights (Bryant & Mohai, 2019). The prolonged history of environmental racism in America and analysis of its economic and political impact has verified the common notion that inequalities in environmental safety are the result of systemic racism. Several examples of deliberate violation of the economic and human rights of people of colour reinforce this argument. For instance, the National Grid has planned to develop a pipeline traversing Bushwick, which is heavily populated by ethnic minorities such as Latinos; moreover, this line also passes through a black-majority neighbourhood called Brownsville (Garza, 2021). This pipeline is yet another example of American policymakers' lack of political will to address the problem of environmental racism.
One of the most prominent cases of political involvement and its impact on aggravating the problem of environmental racism is the construction of landfill sites in the centre of a black community neighbourhood in Texas (Bullard, 2020). In this regard, renowned sociologist Robert Bullard shares his memories and explains the racial discrimination against the black community in this matter. Based on his account, by 1978, all five landfill sites in Houston were located in the black neighbourhood. Furthermore, the critical fact about this environmental racism was that it was not linked with poverty, as most of the blacks living in these localities have a higher socioeconomic status (Bullard, 2020). This aspect of the problem exposes the real-life situation of intentional environmental racism conducted with political motives on people of the black community. Thereby, this argument clarifies the indispensable role that politics play in shaping the lives of people of colour, especially in terms of exposing their lives to environmental hazards.
Environmental racism is a crucial factor in aggravating the political, social, and physical life of people of marginalized communities living in America; facts and figures corroborate this notion. According to a credible estimate, due to their increased proximity to toxic waste, African American children are five times more exposed to lead poisoning than children having Caucasian origin (Beech, 2020). Furthermore, a survey conducted in Detroit to estimate the demographic profile of people living in the vicinity of a toxic waste facility provides eye-opening details of environmental racism. Based on the findings, people living within one mile of the facility comprised 38% of minorities, while those living more than 1.5 miles away had only 18% of people of colour (Bryant & Mohai, 2019). Furthermore, black people earning more than 60,000 dollars annually are still exposed to harmful pollutants. In comparison, white people earning approximately 10,000 dollars per year are less exposed to these pollutants (Beech, 2020).
These aspects of the problem clarify the core issue behind the growing experience of environmental racism that people of colour have to go through in the United States. These facts demand that immediate steps must be taken to revert environmental injustice by implementing the principle of environmental justice. One of the fundamental principles of ensuring environmental justice is to increase participation and say of people of colour in political institutions at local and state levels. Secondly, the dominance of the racial majority over political decision-making should be ended by increasing the democratic character of policymaking institutions (Bullard, 2020). The looming threat of climate change further aggravates the situation of environmental racism, as people who are more exposed to pollutants are more than likely to face graver consequences of climate change.
In recent political developments, the Biden Administration has taken the problem of environmental discrimination seriously, as indicated by its commitment to reserve 40% benefits of federal investment in clean energy infrastructure for the victims of environmental racism. Furthermore, Biden has also established two new political institutions called Environmental Justice Councils to address the issue of political and environmental discrimination (Garza, 2021). Thus, this discussion makes it clear that the issue of environmental racism is intrinsically linked with politics and political institutions and needs a political solution.
Effects of Environmental Racism: Analysis of Economic Perspective
Economic efficiency is a term used to estimate the level of the economic prosperity of a community or region; while discussing the effects of environmental racism, the use of parameters of economic efficiency to gauge the relationship between poverty and environmental racism is instrumental. Using this parameter, politicians can come up with effective decisions (Willers, 1996). In an ideal condition, economic efficiency is the result of the production of maximum social welfare from economic activity. Therefore, marginal social benefits should be equal to the marginal social cost of a toxic facility. However, the history of environmental racism or injustice reveals that an increase in the environmental pollution in regions of ethnic minorities negatively impacts their socioeconomic status by impairing their health and working ability (Willers, 1996). Thus, environmental racism produces economic inefficiency in people exposed to environmental hazards.
In the same way, unreliable data related to the cost-benefit relationship of toxic waste facilities and ineffective estimates of the correlation between environmental pollution and health risks also make it difficult to gauge the economic inefficiency of the affected people (Willer, 1996). Several aspects of environmental racism indicate that this social menace is deeply linked to the deterioration of the economic status of the affected people. For instance, indifference and ignorance of environmental problems aggravate the collective impact of pollutants on their physical and mental well-being (Washington, 2020).
Housing discrimination observed in most cases related to people of colour also contributes to increased exposure to harsh and toxic pollutants as people of colour are constrained to live in a poor industrial neighbourhood. Consequently, they face lethal health consequences leading to their economic downfall (Washington, 2020). The lack of access to healthcare facilities is connected to the problem of increased exposure to environmental pollutants. This problem further aggravates the economic turmoil of the dwellers of these localiti...