The Geography of Environmental Justice

Description: Test your knowledge on the Geography of Environmental Justice, a field of study that examines the relationship between environmental quality and social justice.
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: environmental justice social justice geography environmental inequality
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What is the term used to describe the disproportionate environmental burden placed on marginalized communities?

  1. Environmental Racism

  2. Environmental Inequality

  3. Environmental Degradation

  4. Environmental Pollution


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Environmental racism refers to the systemic discrimination that results in marginalized communities being disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards and deprived of environmental benefits.

Which of the following is an example of an environmental justice issue?

  1. Air pollution in urban areas

  2. Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest

  3. Climate change impacts on coastal communities

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Environmental justice issues can manifest in various forms, including air pollution, deforestation, climate change impacts, and other environmental hazards that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

The concept of environmental justice originated from which social movement?

  1. Civil Rights Movement

  2. Environmental Movement

  3. Feminist Movement

  4. Labor Movement


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The environmental justice movement emerged as an extension of the Civil Rights Movement, recognizing the environmental disparities faced by marginalized communities.

Which landmark study brought national attention to the issue of environmental racism in the United States?

  1. The Silent Spring

  2. A Toxic Legacy

  3. The Environmental Justice Movement

  4. The Color of Pollution


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The 1992 report titled 'The Color of Pollution' by the United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice highlighted the racial disparities in environmental hazards and sparked national awareness of environmental racism.

What is the term used to describe the process of intentionally siting polluting facilities in marginalized communities?

  1. Redlining

  2. Environmental Gentrification

  3. Environmental Racism

  4. Industrial Zoning


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Redlining is a discriminatory practice that historically denied mortgages and other financial services to residents of certain neighborhoods, often resulting in the concentration of polluting facilities in those areas.

Which international agreement recognized environmental justice as a human right?

  1. The Paris Agreement

  2. The Kyoto Protocol

  3. The Stockholm Convention

  4. The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development affirmed environmental justice as a human right, emphasizing the need for equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens.

What is the term used to describe the displacement of marginalized communities due to environmental degradation or gentrification?

  1. Environmental Displacement

  2. Climate Gentrification

  3. Environmental Migration

  4. Ecological Gentrification


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Environmental displacement refers to the forced relocation of communities due to environmental factors such as pollution, climate change, or natural disasters, often leading to social and economic hardships.

Which U.S. federal agency is responsible for enforcing environmental justice laws and regulations?

  1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  2. Department of Justice (DOJ)

  3. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

  4. Department of Energy (DOE)


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary federal agency responsible for enforcing environmental justice laws and regulations, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

What is the term used to describe the phenomenon where environmental regulations and policies disproportionately benefit higher-income communities?

  1. Environmental Gentrification

  2. Environmental Privilege

  3. Environmental Racism

  4. Environmental Inequality


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Environmental gentrification refers to the process where environmental regulations and policies lead to the displacement of marginalized communities and the influx of higher-income residents, often resulting in increased property values and environmental amenities.

Which international environmental agreement specifically addresses the issue of environmental justice?

  1. The Montreal Protocol

  2. The Basel Convention

  3. The Stockholm Convention

  4. The Aarhus Convention


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The 1998 Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters is an international agreement that promotes environmental justice by ensuring public participation in environmental decision-making and access to environmental information.

What is the term used to describe the practice of siting polluting facilities in areas with less political power and resources?

  1. Environmental Racism

  2. Industrial Zoning

  3. NIMBYism

  4. Environmental Gentrification


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Environmental racism involves the intentional siting of polluting facilities in areas with less political power and resources, often resulting in disproportionate environmental burdens for marginalized communities.

Which U.S. state was the first to adopt an environmental justice law?

  1. California

  2. New York

  3. Illinois

  4. Texas


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

California was the first U.S. state to adopt an environmental justice law in 1999, known as the California Environmental Justice Act, which aims to address environmental disparities and promote environmental justice.

What is the term used to describe the movement of polluting industries from developed countries to developing countries?

  1. Environmental Gentrification

  2. Environmental Displacement

  3. Environmental Racism

  4. Toxic Colonialism


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Toxic colonialism refers to the practice of developed countries relocating polluting industries to developing countries, often with lax environmental regulations, resulting in environmental degradation and health risks for local communities.

Which international environmental agreement aims to reduce and eliminate persistent organic pollutants (POPs)?

  1. The Montreal Protocol

  2. The Basel Convention

  3. The Stockholm Convention

  4. The Kyoto Protocol


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is an international agreement that aims to reduce and eliminate the production, use, and release of POPs, which are harmful chemicals that persist in the environment and can have adverse effects on human health and the environment.

What is the term used to describe the disproportionate environmental burden faced by Indigenous communities?

  1. Environmental Racism

  2. Environmental Inequality

  3. Environmental Colonialism

  4. Indigenous Environmental Justice


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Indigenous Environmental Justice refers to the specific environmental challenges and injustices faced by Indigenous communities, including the loss of traditional lands, contamination of traditional food sources, and the disproportionate impacts of climate change.

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