In keeping with Global Pride Month, it is critical to acknowledge the close relationship that exists between social justice and climate action. The ideals of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and safety (JEDIS), which are essential to our work at Greenpeace, are at the center of this connection. We often discuss the significance of JEDIS and its connection to climate advocacy by answering the following frequently asked questions:
- Describe and explain JEDIS’s significance.
Justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and safety are the acronyms for JEDIS.
We center Greenpeace’s campaign activity around these values because we believe that treating everyone equally and with respect is the first step towards safeguarding the environment and achieving climate justice for all. These principles seek to provide a welcoming and secure environment for all living things while fully embracing the diversity of the natural world.
- What are environmental justice and climate change?
Upholding our human rights in the midst of the ongoing climate disaster is the goal of climate and environmental justice. It also involves working toward treating all people and communities fairly and equally in regards to environmental issues and the disproportionate effects of the climate crisis, regardless of their color, ethnicity, gender, status as a disabled person, socioeconomic status, location, etc. - How can environmental action and JEDIS intersect?
The current system has historically favored and provided special treatment to a small number of people, putting the majority of people and communities at a tremendous disadvantage. Conversations about the climate crisis intimately link to more general issues of social, gender, racial, and economic inequities. Greenpeace utilizes JEDIS to address the needs of marginalized communities, particularly those disproportionately impacted by the climate catastrophe, and to give voice to their perspectives. - Why do people react differently to climate change?
The climate issue impacts everyone differently, particularly based on their identities and the ways in which those identities overlap. Various factors, including gender and socioeconomic background, can influence a person’s experience of the climate crisis.
For instance, the LGBTQIA+ population frequently experiences increased vulnerability as a result of pre-existing marginalization and societal discrimination. Their lack of finances, assistance, housing, healthcare, and work opportunities may increase their vulnerability to the environmental hazards brought on by the climate catastrophe. The climate issue has also disproportionately affected women, especially in the global south where their livelihoods heavily rely on agriculture and natural resources. Disasters caused by climate change have a substantial impact on these revenue streams, increasing women’s food insecurity and poverty. In addition to carrying a heavier weight when it comes to gathering food and water, women also run more risks to their health and are more susceptible to assault, discrimination, and displacement.
- Why is it crucial that environmental movements continue to assist underprivileged groups?
As previously stated, pre-existing inequities exacerbate the disproportionate effects of environmental degradation and the climate catastrophe on marginalized populations. We can alleviate the disproportionate burdens borne by marginalized populations and work towards climate justice by prioritizing JEDIS values alongside the climate movement. Since climate justice entails justice for everyone, not just a chosen few, it is critical to support one another throughout social justice movements and recognize the connections between environmental challenges and other forms of oppression, including ableism, racism, sexism, and elitism.
The global climate problem impacts all of us, but it disproportionately affects the most disadvantaged populations. By giving JEDIS top priority in the environmental movement, we can tackle these disparities and strive for climate justice for people from diverse backgrounds. In order to make the world we’re attempting to defend equal and inclusive for all of us, we must keep listening to the voices of the underrepresented communities and cooperating to develop and implement lasting solutions for their needs