The article “Environmental and climate racism in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro”, produced as part of the Ampliando Vozes (Amplifying Voices) project — a partnership between CIPÓ and LabJaca and supported by Boll Foundation — was published as part of the “One-Pager” series by the University of Oklahoma.
The two-page article looks at the impact of racism beyond que social sphere. Together, authors Gabrielle Alves and Mariana de Paula argue that environmental debates and initiatives tend to focus on rural areas, while the urban zones, especially the peripheral ones, are commonly forgotten, even as they are heavily affected by the ecological crisis.
Environmental racism, combined with structural racism, leads to negligence and harm to black, indigenous and low income populations.
The authors also reference videos produced as part of the same project in collaboration with residents of the Jacarezinho, Manguinhos and Complexo do Lins communities, all in Rio de Janeiro, denouncing old and new forms of governance that are non-inclusive.
Finally, they defend the ratification and implementation of Escazú Agreement as an important step for Brazil to confront environmental and climate racism.
