Environmental Justice in South Asia: Intersecting Social, Political, Economic, and Cultural Dynamics

Abstract: Environmental justice is about connecting the right to life and health to the right to clean air, water, and land.” – Vandana Shiva. In its fourth assessment report, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on climate change) goes on to conclude, “The cumulative scientific evidence is unequivocal: Climate change is a reality. The impacts of climate change are already being observed, and action must be taken now in order for future generations to remember the idea of humanity in any positive light.” South Asia has been identified as the second most affected global region regarding climate change impacts with a pervasive touch of social injustice. The history of environmental injustices in the South Asian context dates back to the late 1970s and incorporates interactions of several social, political, economic, and cultural facets amalgamated together. In South Asia, there are entrenched economic and social injustices that co-exist alongside pollution, deforestation, and displacement due to changing climates that directly impact environmental justice. In this region, over 75 million individuals bear the brunt of eco damages costing 15 billion dollars each year (Asian Development Bank, 2021) which makes them even more vulnerable to climate change. The most affected by these challenges and struggles are the rural and coastal communities, who already deal with poverty and inequity on a daily basis. Environmental justice in South Asia is a thin line that ties to the region’s socio-political, economic, and cultural aspects. Rural communities, women, the poverty stricken as well as indigenous populations are left to grapple with the rapid pace of industrialization, urbanization, pollution, and climate change alone. This paper aims to analyse the dire effects of social and governmental inequity coupled with weak economic and cultural frameworks has had on the environment in South Asia. And proposes that fostering grassroots movements and integrating indigenous cultural paradigms into policy will enable the region to be more sustainable.