Download Environmental Justice and the Precautionary Principle

Climate Change and
Community Resilience
Deep South Center for
Environmental Justice at Dillard
University
April 6, 2013
Environmental Justice,
Climate Change and
Co-Pollutants
Nicky Sheats, Esq., Ph.D.
Director, Center for the Urban Environment,
John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy of
Thomas Edison State College and member of
the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
A Preliminary Screening Method to Estimate
Cumulative Environmental Impact
Presentation by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
to the Environmental Justice Advisory council
December 2, 2009
Indicators:
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NATA diesel (1999)
NATA cancer risk
NJDEP benzene estimates
Traffic (all)
Traffic (trucks)
Density of major regulated sites
Density of known contaminated sites
Density of dry cleaners
Density of junkyards
EJ Climate Change Policy:
• Develop and emphasize strategies that reduce emissions of
fine particulate matter and its gaseous precursors along with
emissions of global warming gases;
• Ensure that reductions of emissions are fairly distributed.
• Use renewable energy sources and energy conservation
extensively in urban areas;
• If carbon trading is utilized, carbon allowances should be
auctioned annually and the resulting money used to support
global warming initiatives in urban areas;
• Formulate climate change adaptation strategies specifically
for people Of Color and poor people;
• Create an environmental justice committee to oversee the
environmental justice aspects of climate change policy in
New Jersey.
The gaseous precursors of fine particulate matter are sulfur dioxide (SO2)
nitrogen oxides (NOx).
and
EJ Climate Change Policy Recommendation:
EJ Leadership Forum on Climate Change Carbon
Charge and Environmental Review Emissions
Reduction Strategy Policy Paper
http://www.weact.org/Portals/7/Carbon%20Charge%20Proposal
%20Final.pdf
EJ Climate Change Policy Recommendation:
Develop and emphasize strategies that reduce
emissions of fine particulate matter and its gaseous
precursors along with emissions of greenhouse
gases.
EJ Climate Change Policy Recommendation:
Fine particulate matter and its gaseous precursors are
called greenhouse gas co-pollutants.
Fine Particulate Matter:
Airborne solid or liquid particles that are less than
2.5 microns in diameter. Also known as PM2.5 or
soot.
It Kills!
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Tens of thousands of deaths in the U.S. annually!
Disproportionately in cities.
The gaseous precursors of fine particulate matter are sulfur
dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
END
Nicky Sheats, Esq., Ph.D.
609-777-4351 ext. 4280
[email protected]
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