Environmental Groups Respond to Death of George Floyd and Resulting Protests
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
The environmental movement has a racist history. Sierra Club founder John Muir and conservationist Madison Grant, peers in the conservation movement of the early 1900s, have a history of writing racist content. Grant wrote a white supremacist book entitled “The Passing of the Great Race, or The Racial Basis of European History,” which expressed fear over the loss of population of “Nordic” people. This text strongly influenced the Immigration Act of 1924 that limited the number of immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe and Africa, and outrightly banned migrants from the Middle East and Asia. The book was also praised by Theodore Roosevelt and Hitler.
In the late ’60s and early ’70s, population control became a popular idea among some environmentalists, even as some argued back that population control would hurt communities of color that are already marginalized and smaller in numbers. A warped care for the planet blended with authoritarian and white supremiscist views, often referred to as eco-fascism, has even been the motivation for mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Christchurch, New Zealand. Environmental organizations have also been criticized for being staffed primarily by white members, with minorities only making up up to 16% of general staff, and 12% of leadership positions.
According to a recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE, though, many environmental organizations are moving towards climate justice instead of simply conservation, with 40% focusing on this in action as an organization. This shift is reflected in the support voiced by various environmental groups for the Black Lives Matter movement and protests set off by the recent death of George Floyd while being held under the knee of former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, who has been arrested and faces charges of second-degree murder for Floyd’s killing. Here are just a few excerpts from environmental organizations’ statements; the full statements, including what actions each organization is supporting, can be viewed by clicking on the organization’s name.
“There is no just recovery for climate, without addressing the systemic extraction, harm and violence towards Black communities.”
“Black lives matter. Black voices matter. True change begins with listening to the voices of those most affected and then acting on that basis to build bridges that secure a more equitable future for all.”
“As an organization that envisions a world with clean air, clean water, public lands, and a safe climate that are protected by a just and equitable democracy for generations to come, we also believe that we are all only as safe as those members of our community who are most at risk.”
“Protest is a constitutional right that must be defended and honored—particularly in the face of authoritarian violence”
“We condemn this act of violence, and, alongside our friends, allies, and partners committed to racial justice, call for full accountability from law enforcement and a robust commitment to addressing institutional racism and anti-blackness throughout this nation.”
“We should be outraged — and I know that millions of us are indeed outraged — by the racist violence inflicted upon Christian Cooper, Arbery, Floyd, Taylor, and so many others. But as Sierra Club members and supporters, we need to go beyond outrage to working for justice.”
“For too long conservation and environmental movements have not spoken up to address the long-standing challenges that non-white communities face. Environmental organizations should work to bring down the barriers that affect Black, people of color, and Indigenous communities. EDF will provide support and solutions to achieve environmental justice and equity.”
According to a study from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment, environmental organizations still have “significant and intentional work” remaining to “make the mainstream environmental movement welcoming to people of color.” These organizations’ support for and statements on efforts against racial violence seems to be a continuing shift towards inclusivity in the environmental movement.