In a lecture with Professor Marianne Engelman Lado, a leading environmental justice advocate and lawyer from Yale University, I?ve learned about the various nuances and complexities surrounding the concept of environmental justice. To describe environmental justice, Professor Lado directed us to the intersection between civil rights and environmental law. More formally, Professor Lado acknowledged that Environmental Justice is the fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens.

Lado argued that the current status quo has no equality in the distribution of environmental burdens. Specifically, she used the example of landfills in the United States – as most of them are located in low-income and colored neighborhoods. She further claims that race is one of the most salient factors in determining the amount of exposure a community has on chemicals and landfill toxics. That the pollution and waste is concentrated amongst the minority and disenfranchised groups is a proof of the prominent inequality and injustice in the distribution of said environmental burdens. Lado mentions two main drawbacks for such a situation: first, is that the burden is magnified in minority communities as the environmental pollution is disproportionately concentrated there; second, is that the lack of a shared burden due to the lack of fair distribution leads to a lack of understanding on the environmental issues prompted by the wastes which thereby induces an atmosphere of apathy amongst those who do not suffer from the environmental burdens.

Professor Lado also stressed the importance of procedural justice within environmental justice in that there should be equal participation of communities and stakeholders in decision-making, planning, and execution procedures.

Lado argued that the lack of political will stemming from external pressures, internal characteristics, and historic reasons is the main cause of the lack of environmental justice in the status quo. She further underscores the need for a centralized enforcement agency to manage environmental justice issues in the United States.

Overall, Professor Lado provided an insightful account of environmental justice and even suggested further areas of research such as the issues of nuclear waste, and the legitimacy of disparate impact claims in proving discriminatory acts in environmental justice.