The journey of environmental justice through public and international law

Abstract

Introduction The environmental justice discourse has its origins in the 1980s. Then, US academics and activists advocated an alternative environmental concept that promoted the creation of an environmental justice movement. This social movement was characterised by its opposition to potentially harmful industries and activities being permitted in less advantaged neighbourhoods and regions throughout the country. ‘Environmental justice’ demanded equal access to environmental services and a sharing of potentially environmentally harmful land uses. The social movement argued that governments were discriminating against coloured, ethnic and poor communities by permitting pollution in their envir..