ABSTRACT
The environmental justice movement applies justice theories to the exploration of environmental conditions. It is predominantly concerned with the identification of injustice in environmental policies, institutions, social structures and outcomes. The concept is different from similar, more-visible terms, such as 'sustainability', which are often used in the rhetoric for legitimising current practices. Generally, environmental justice is a concept adopted almost exclusively by those criticising the status quo. Distributive environmental justice is concerned with the equitable sharing of environmental benefits and burdens across the population. Procedural justice may necessitate a right to participate, to have one's interests included or the right to be represented. To differing extents, environmental injustices are defined by inequities of relative political power, opportunity and outcome: Environmental injustices and disparities in the benefits that flow from natural resources development are a manifestation of more fundamental problems of poverty and political and economic disadvantage, democratic inequality and lack of participation, and other manifestations of social injustices and unfairness.
