The Search for Environmental Justice

This thoughtful book provides an overview of the major developments in the theory and practice of ‘environmental justice’. It illustrates the direction of the evolution of rights of nature and exposes the diverse meanings and practical uses of the concept of environmental justice in different jurisdictions, and their implications for the law, society and the environment.The term 'environmental justice' has different meanings to different scholars and is applied in many different contexts. For some, the focus is on equal distribution of the earth’s benefits, with concern for the interests of the less wealthy, disadvantaged minorities, or indigenous peoples. For others, the focus is on the interests of the earth and nature itself. Additionally, for some, environmental justice is a framework for discourse, whilst for others it connotes specific legal principles and procedures. The application of these interpretations through the law involves diverse approaches and rules. In this timely book, expert contributors identify the meanings and the practical translations of environmental justice, reflecting the perspectives of academic, judicial and indigenous people from many countries. Among the issues considered are the rights of nature and its application through judicial practice, and approaches to respecting the laws, cultures and the rights of Indigenous peoples.This integrated exploration of the topic will provide an excellent resource for scholars, judicial officers and practitioners interested in environmental and social justice issues.

Edited by Paul Martin, Professor, University of New England, Armidale NSW, Australia, Sadeq Z. Bigdeli, Senior Lecturer and Trevor Daya-Winterbottom, Senior Lecturer, University of Waikato, New Zealand, Willemien du Plessis, Professor, North-West University, South Africa and Amanda Kennedy, Associate Professor, University of New England, Armidale NSW, Australia