The Intersection Between Climate Justice and Water Justice
Lime with Raeann is a blog series dedicated to sharing a Trini perspective on sustainability and environmental justice topics. Raeann Garvis was the first Research Fellow at the NWEJC. In her blog series, Lime with Raeann, she shares her experiences exploring Oregon and researching environmental justice topics through a Trini perspective.A passionate youth advocate, Raeann is part of the Caribbean Climate Justice Leaders Academy and attended the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.
Why lime? Transformative sustainability and environmental justice is going to take all of us working together over multiple generations. Much of the work is extremely urgent and challenging, yet a true paradigm shift requires us to share knowledge, experience, and ideas across cultures and between friends over a lime.
By Raeann Gervais
The global challenges of climate change and water challenges are linked in complex ways that impact communities worldwide. Climate justice and water justice are intimately linked, as vulnerable populations are often the most impacted by both environmental crises. Here, I’ll talk about the intersection of climate justice and water justice and the urgent need for equitable solutions that ensure access to clean, safe, and sustainable water resources for all.
Climate Change and Water Challenges
Climate change worsens water challenges through various interconnected mechanisms. Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns contribute to increased droughts, which reduce the availability of freshwater sources. In some areas, climate change also leads to more intense rainfall and flooding events, which can overwhelm water infrastructure and contaminate water supplies. Additionally, the melting of glaciers, driven by global warming, poses a threat to the water supply for billions of people who rely on glacial meltwater for drinking, agriculture, and industry. Finally, higher sea levels resulting from climate change can cause saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers, making the water unfit for drinking or agriculture.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Climate Justice
Climate justice highlights the ethical aspects of climate change and its unequal impacts. One aspect of climate justice is the recognition that vulnerable communities, including low-income communities, Indigenous peoples, and people of color, are the most affected by climate change and water challenges. These communities often face limited resources to adapt to the changing climate conditions. Another important aspect of climate justice is the acknowledgment of historical emissions. Countries that have contributed the least to greenhouse gas emissions historically tend to suffer the most severe consequences of climate change. This inequality emphasizes the global need for climate justice. Additionally, climate injustice is interconnected with water injustice. Marginalized communities are frequently deprived of access to clean water and sanitation, and they are also more susceptible to the impacts of droughts and floods. These interconnected injustices prove the importance of addressing climate change from a just perspective.
Water Justice
Water justice aims to achieve equitable access to clean and safe water resources for all individuals and communities. This includes three key elements. Firstly, it emphasizes the importance of safe and affordable drinking water as a fundamental human right, ensuring that no one is excluded from accessing clean water. Secondly, it calls for responsible and sustainable water management practices that consider the needs of both present and future generations, while also preserving ecosystems. Finally, water justice advocates for the active participation of communities, particularly marginalized ones, in decision-making processes related to water resources, empowering them to have a say in how their water is managed and distributed.
Bridging the Gap
Addressing the linked challenges of climate justice and water justice requires a comprehensive approach. Firstly, mitigation and adaptation are crucial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable practices to mitigate climate change and its impacts on water resources. Secondly, investing in water infrastructure, particularly in marginalized communities, can improve access to clean water and reduce vulnerabilities to climate-related disasters. Thirdly, allocating climate funds to support vulnerable communities in adapting to changing water conditions is essential for addressing both climate and water justice. Lastly, raising awareness about the links between climate change and water scarcity through education and advocacy is essential in driving policy changes and building public support for equitable solutions.
Climate justice and water justice are connected aspects of the struggle for a sustainable and equitable future. As we address climate change, we must consider the impact on water resources and ensure that marginalized communities have access to clean and safe water.