ABSTRACT
Environmental injustice is a growing human rights issue as climate change and
environmental degradation rapidly increases. As a social justice problem, it is relevant to
the social work profession, yet not integrated into our curricula. This study of 373 social
work professionals found that environmental justice is a significant practice issue across
broad client populations and that professionals felt unprepared to address it. Qualitative
and quantitative data revealed high levels of client exposure to environmental hazards
with little power to change it. Respondents reported dissatisfaction with their education to
help them understand environmental issues. Moreover, they indicated that they would like
to see environmental justice integrated into social work education and better-prepared
graduates entering the profession. Implications for practice and education are discussed.
Introduction
