Renovating Democracy through Addressing Environmental Justice

Session Submission Type: Created Panel

Session Description

Renovating democracy to address environmental justice is an imperative step towards creating a sustainable and equitable future. In this transformative process, citizens, policymakers, and environmental advocates collaborate to ensure that decision-making mechanisms prioritize the needs of marginalized communities disproportionately affected by environmental degradation. By fostering inclusivity, transparency, and active citizen participation, we can reshape political systems to amplify the voices of those who bear the brunt of environmental injustices. Initiatives such as community-driven environmental policies, accessible environmental education, and the promotion of green technologies can be integrated into the democratic framework, fostering a society that not only values environmental sustainability but also ensures that the benefits are shared equitably among all citizens.
In this panel, we put together three papers that address the various aspects of environmental justice. The first paper offers insights about how nonprofit organizations are able to proactively shape environmental justice outcomes. The second paper shows how renewable portfolio standards can facilitate environmental justice as a co-benefit. The third paper demonstrates solar access as a viable approach to promoting climate justice. Altogether, the papers in this panel present how a modern democracy is being renovated through addressing the pressing concerns of environmental injustice.

Sub Unit

• Division 25: Public Policy

Individual Presentations

• Policy Feedback & Climate Justice: Improving Solar Access for Americans - Aparajita Datta, University of Houston

• Beyond Policy Partnership: Nonprofits in Advancing Environmental Justice - Yixin Liu, Northern Arizona University

• Wicked Problems and Policy Coherence in Global Britain - Ileana Daniela Serban, Universidad Pontificia Comillas

• Threat Perception, Issue Knowledge, and Citizen Coproduction Preferences - Xinsheng Liu, Texas A&M University

Discussants

• Allegra Fullerton University of Colorado Denver

• Christopher M. Reenock Florida State University