雅思阅读

📖 Reading Passage

The concept of 'environmental justice' has evolved significantly since its inception in the 1980s, when it primarily addressed the disproportionate siting of hazardous waste facilities in low-income and minority communities. Over time, the framework has expanded to encompass broader issues such as climate change, access to clean water, and the global distribution of environmental burdens. Scholars argue that environmental justice is not merely a matter of legal compliance but a fundamental human right, requiring procedural, distributive, and recognition-based dimensions. Procedural justice emphasizes inclusive decision-making processes, while distributive justice focuses on equitable allocation of environmental benefits and harms. Recognition-based justice, however, challenges the systemic marginalization of vulnerable groups in environmental policy. Despite growing international attention, implementation remains uneven, often hindered by economic interests and political inertia. This complexity underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches that integrate social science, law, and environmental science to address persistent inequities.