雅思阅读

📖 Reading Passage

The concept of 'environmental justice' has evolved significantly over the past three decades, moving from a grassroots movement focused on local pollution disparities to a broader framework addressing global climate impacts. Initially, scholars highlighted that marginalized communities disproportionately bore the burden of toxic waste sites and industrial emissions. However, recent research emphasizes that climate change exacerbates these inequalities, as vulnerable populations in developing nations often lack the infrastructure to adapt to extreme weather events. Furthermore, the discourse now includes 'energy justice,' which examines how the transition to renewable energy might create new forms of inequity, such as the displacement of communities for solar farms or the unequal distribution of green technology benefits. This evolution underscores that environmental problems are not merely technical but are deeply intertwined with social, economic, and political structures. Consequently, effective policy must integrate participatory decision-making, ensuring that affected groups have a voice in shaping solutions rather than being passive recipients of top-down environmental management.