Justice and the Environment

8/17/2019 Justice and the Environment

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JUSTICEJUSTICE

AND THEAND THE

ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT


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THE C RRENT SIT ATION

HE C RRENT SIT ATION

Our world faces an ecological crisis:Our world faces an ecological crisis:

‘‘ Today, the dramatic threat of ecologicalToday, the dramatic threat of ecologicalbreakdown is teaching us the extent to whichbreakdown is teaching us the extent to which

greed and selfishness – both individual andgreed and selfishness – both individual and

collective – are contrary to the order ofcollective – are contrary to the order of

creation, an order which is characterized bycreation, an order which is characterized by

mutual interdependence !The "cologicalmutual interdependence !The "cological

#risis: $ #ommon %esponsibilityrisis: $ #ommon %esponsibility&


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FACTS OF

ACTS OF

ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS

NVIRONMENTAL CRISIS

'exico, the most populous urban region in the world, is the worlds'exico, the most populous urban region in the world, is the worldsmost polluted city The city has been described as an ecologicalmost polluted city The city has been described as an ecologicaldisaster disaster

$ (arvard study states that soot in the air shortens the lives of )*, $ (arvard study states that soot in the air shortens the lives of )*,

+++ $mericans, by an average of -. yrs in the most polluted areas+++ $mericans, by an average of -. yrs in the most polluted areas

$n effect of global warming is the melting of the polar caps/ 0y $n effect of global warming is the melting of the polar caps/ 0y.+1+, the sea will rise an estimated .+ inches, thus flooding coastal.+1+, the sea will rise an estimated .+ inches, thus flooding coastalcities and forcing people to flee to higher groundcities and forcing people to flee to higher ground

2ow – income people and minorities suffer more from environmental2ow – income people and minorities suffer more from environmentalcontamination that do higher – income communitiescontamination that do higher – income communities

$ 33* study reveals that organisms in drinking water cause an $ 33* study reveals that organisms in drinking water cause anestimated 3++,+++ people to get sickestimated 3++,+++ people to get sick


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Environmental Problems Tat

nvironmental Problems Tat

Are !orse Tan !e To"#t

re !orse Tan !e To"#t

Mammal ExtinctionMammal Extinction Ocean Dead ZonesOcean Dead Zones


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Collapsing Fish StockCollapsing Fish Stock

Destruction of the Rain ForestDestruction of the Rain Forest


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Polar Sea Ice ossPolar Sea Ice oss

CO! e"els in the #tmosphereCO! e"els in the #tmosphere


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THE SCOPE OF THE

HE SCOPE OF THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

NVIRONMENTAL

PRO$LEMRO$LEM

#$D#$D

2and is needed to grow food, yet the worlds topsoil2and is needed to grow food, yet the worlds topsoilis sub4ect to water logging, salinization, and erosionis sub4ect to water logging, salinization, and erosion

5ood farm land is turning into desert5ood farm land is turning into desert

6rbanization is cutting into precious farmlands6rbanization is cutting into precious farmlands

The loss of rainforests presents a especially graveThe loss of rainforests presents a especially graverisk for life on earthrisk for life on earth


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THE SCOPE OF THE

HE SCOPE OF THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

NVIRONMENTAL

PRO$LEMRO$LEM

%#&ER%#&ER

7ithout water, there is no life on earth7ithout water, there is no life on earth

There is a crisis in availability of clean water – over billion lackThere is a crisis in availability of clean water – over billion lackaccess to clean water access to clean water

$n estimated 8+,+++ deaths daily occurred due to contaminated $n estimated 8+,+++ deaths daily occurred due to contaminatedwater and poor sanitationwater and poor sanitation

9ndustrial pollutants are a ma4or factor in contaminating the9ndustrial pollutants are a ma4or factor in contaminating theworlds water supply !pesticides, gasoline&worlds water supply !pesticides, gasoline&

Oceans as source of both food and drinkable water are alsoOceans as source of both food and drinkable water are alsoimmune to pollutionimmune to pollution


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THE SCOPE OF THE

HE SCOPE OF THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

NVIRONMENTAL

PRO$LEMRO$LEM

#IR#IR

$ir pollution and acid rain are problems in todays world $ir pollution and acid rain are problems in todays world

Over .+ of the worlds population breathes filthy, polluted,Over .+ of the worlds population breathes filthy, polluted,unhealthy air unhealthy air

$ir pollution causes respiratory diseases, eye irritation, cancer, $ir pollution causes respiratory diseases, eye irritation, cancer,birth defects, and other illsbirth defects, and other ills

$cid rain !resulted from air pollution& pollutes rivers, lakes, trees, $cid rain !resulted from air pollution& pollutes rivers, lakes, trees,and vegetationand vegetation

The earths ozone layer has been damaged by the release ofThe earths ozone layer has been damaged by the release ofozone – depleting substances !#;#s used in refrigeration,ozone – depleting substances !#;#s used in refrigeration,

aircons, cleansing agents, etc/aircons, cleansing agents, etc/


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THE SCOPE OF THE

HE SCOPE OF THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

NVIRONMENTAL

PRO$LEMRO$LEM

SPECIES E'&I$C&IO$SPECIES E'&I$C&IO$


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THREE R LES ON THE

HREE R LES ON THE

HEALTH OF O R PLANET

EALTH OF O R PLANET

"verything is connected/ 7hat we do to one"verything is connected/ 7hat we do to onesystem affects another system affects another

"verything goes somewhere/ 9f we take"verything goes somewhere/ 9f we takesomething out of the earth and use it, we mustsomething out of the earth and use it, we mustdispose of its byproductsdispose of its byproducts

There is no such thing as free lunch/ 'otherThere is no such thing as free lunch/ 'othernature will exact a price for our individual andnature will exact a price for our individual andcollective selfishnesscollective selfishness


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$I$LICAL TEACHIN% ON

I$LICAL TEACHIN% ON

THE ENVIRONMENT

HE ENVIRONMENT

#reation is good#reation is good

(umans are 5ods special creatures(umans are 5ods special creatures

>ominion over creation re?uires cultivation and care/ 5od alone>ominion over creation re?uires cultivation and care/ 5od alonehas sovereignty over creationhas sovereignty over creation

@in has led humans to abuse the gift of creation@in has led humans to abuse the gift of creation

(uman sin harms the earth(uman sin harms the earth

Aesus reconciles everything to the ;ather, including bringingAesus reconciles everything to the ;ather, including bringingharmony to creationharmony to creation

Aesus teaches us what it means to be a stewardAesus teaches us what it means to be a steward


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CH RCH TEACHIN% ON

H RCH TEACHIN% ON

THE ENVIRONMENT

HE ENVIRONMENT

"cological responsibility includes:"cological responsibility includes:

#reation of a 5od – centered, sacramental world#reation of a 5od – centered, sacramental world %espect for life%espect for life


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DECLARATION ON H MAN

ECLARATION ON H MAN

RI%HTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

I%HTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

0asic human rights such as the right to life, health, and0asic human rights such as the right to life, health, andculture can only be en4oyed in a healthy, andculture can only be en4oyed in a healthy, andecologically sound environmentecologically sound environment

The right to a secure, healthy, and ecologically soundThe right to a secure, healthy, and ecologically soundenvironmentenvironment

The right to be consulted and included in any decisionsThe right to be consulted and included in any decisionsaffecting the environmentaffecting the environment

The right to active and free participation in planning andThe right to active and free participation in planning anddecision making on the impact on any development thatdecision making on the impact on any development thatimpacts on their environmentimpacts on their environment


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5od gave humans dominion over the earths resources/5od gave humans dominion over the earths resources/


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Te #oo&s o'

(reation are

inten&e& 'or te

(ommon #oo& o'

all "man bein#s)


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7e are responsible7e are responsiblefor for

caring for the earth,caring for the earth,

using its resourcesusing its resourceswisely, and preservingwisely, and preserving

these resources for these resources for

future generations/future generations/


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7e must respect the integrity of all creation/7e must respect the integrity of all creation/

Catechism of the Catholic ChurchCatechism of the Catholic Church, B.*1, B.*1


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(umans should treat animals with kindness(umans should treat animals with kindness

because they are 5ods creatures and their because they are 5ods creatures and their

existence glorifies him/existence glorifies him/

$nimals are entrusted to the stewardship of $nimals are entrusted to the stewardship of

human beings and it is morally permissible tohuman beings and it is morally permissible to

domesticate them or use them for food anddomesticate them or use them for food and

clothing/clothing/


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7e can each be a good steward of the7e can each be a good steward of the

earth,earth,

finding ways to live more in harmony withfinding ways to live more in harmony with

nature and to respect all of 5ods creation/nature and to respect all of 5ods creation/


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D TIES AND

TIES AND

RESPONSI$ILITIES *ON

ESPONSI$ILITIES *ON

ENVIRONMENT+NVIRONMENT+ 0anning substances and activities which are harmful to the0anning substances and activities which are harmful to theenvironmentenvironment

%epairing the damage that has been done to the%epairing the damage that has been done to the

environmentenvironment

"nsuring that our natural resources are distributed fairly"nsuring that our natural resources are distributed fairly

%educing wasteful processes of production and patterns of%educing wasteful processes of production and patterns of

consumptionconsumption

"nsuring that transitional and international corporations"nsuring that transitional and international corporationsrespect environmental rightsrespect environmental rights

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Justice and the Environment