The nexus between environmental degradation and social inequality: Intersecting crises

Abstract. Increasing populations and industrial activities have led to the rise of environmental degradation globally. The impact of this destruction has not been evenly distributed across societies leaving the poor and disenfranchised to bear the brunt of unsustainable practices, climate change, and ecosystem demise. Historically, marginalized communities in addition to those living on the periphery primarily in less developed countries, have suffered the most from developed nations exploiting their lands for personal gain. In this presentation we will demonstrate how environmental degradation and social inequality are inextricably intertwined contributing to degraded health, minimized access to water, and displacement for millions of people around the world. The impact of the unequal exposure to environmental hazards, natural resource exploitation, and environmentally unfriendly extraction of resources has been at the expense of vulnerable communities. Additionally, this paper will show how it is these hardships that continue to exacerbate unhealthy conditions on the lands the disenfranchised depend upon. Holistic approaches that focus on the integration of social, economic, and environmental policies, international cooperation, promotion of environmental sustainability, and social justice will be offered as solutions for attaining sustainability that will benefit everyone including the marginalized. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature that questions sustainability and its effectiveness in achieving desired global goals.