Environmental Equity and Justice

Recognizing the ways that less-privileged communities, frontline communities and communities-of-color have been disproportionately harmed by environmental pollution and granted limited access to environmental goods and services, our projects direct attention to the need for more equitable and just solutions.

An Untapped Opportunity for DC’s Media: Connecting the gaps in the climate conversation
March 18, 2024
Rosalind Donald
Years of heavy industry pollution mean DC’s rivers aren’t safe for fishing or swimming. Many local media articles carry updates on the health of the water, but, as a study of local media my class carried out indicates, journalists may not be linking stories about related topics like river pollution, trash pickup, and more, to […]
Article: Geopolitical Ecology for Our Times
February 16, 2024
Malini Ranganathan, Garrett Graddy-Lovelace
In their new guest editoral in Political Geography, Dr. Malini Rangathan, an Associate Professor in the School of International Service, and Dr. Garrett Graddy-Lovelace, a professor in the Department of Environment, Development, and Health, work together to explore the concept of geopolitical ecology as an alternative lens to traditional dominant framing. Geopolitical Ecology for Our […]
Marine-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal: The Promise and Peril
February 9, 2024
Simon Nicholson
On Thursday, February 8th, the Institute of Responsible Carbon Removal convened a brown-bag presentation and discussion featuring Dr. Sara Nawaz, the Director of Research at American University’s Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy. Dr. Nawaz delivered a presentation entitled “Marine-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal: Promise and Peril,” which was moderated by Dr. Simon Nicholson. The […]
Book: Development in Africa’s Informal Settlements: Below the Proletariat
February 2, 2024
Angela Pashayan
Dr. Angela Pashaya, professor at American University’s School of International Service, launched her new book on February 1st. With over 60% of Africans living in slums, her new book Development in Africa’s Informal Settlements: Below the Proletariat includes ethnography, quantitative and quantitative research centered on the effectiveness of international development programs in African informal settlements […]
In the News: Apocalyptic Optimism Could Be the Antidote for Climate Fatalism
January 24, 2024
Dana R. Fisher
TIME excerpts CECE Director, Dana R. Fisher’s new book Saving Ourselves: From Climate Shocks to Climate Action. For the full excerpt click here
State of Deception Report Released on Mining and Water Rights in El Salvador
January 23, 2024
Robin Broad
On Thursday, January 11, MiningWatch Canada hosted a press release event presenting the findings from the ‘State of Deception’ fact-finding report on the detained water defenders, mining, and the state of human rights under the Bukele regime in El Salvador. The report is co-authored by Robin Broad, a research professor in Environment, Development, and Health […]
COP28 DC Climate Hub
December 7, 2023
Kyra Jones
On Thursday, December 7th, CECE, The School of International Service, and We Don’t Have Time cohosted the COP28 DC Climate Hub. Policymakers, climate activists, journalists, and academic experts came together to discuss what is needed to ensure a just and equitable climate transition. This multi-panel event included: Ambassadors Up-Close: COP28 Reflections, The Power of Storytelling, […]
Six Students Awarded the Environmental Justice Community Lawyering Fellowship
December 4, 2023
William John Snape, III
Since 2019, American University Washington College of Law’s Program on Environmental and Energy Law (PEEL) has channeled a portion of its donations to support valuable opportunities for students, enabling them to engage in impactful study and work related to Environmental Justice. The initiative’s primary mission is to energize the next generation of AUWCL community lawyers […]
Article: How Effective are Climate Protests at Swaying Policy—and what could make a difference
November 28, 2023
Dana R. Fisher
Nature has just published “How Effective are Climate Protests at Swaying Policy—and what could make a difference.” By CECE Director Dana R. Fisher, Oscar Berglund, and Colin J. Davis. The piece integrates Fisher’s research on climate protests and the growing radical flank in climate activism with Berglund and Davis’ work on public responses to climate action, which […]
CECE Announces Inaugural Faculty Research Incubator Grants
November 25, 2023
Malini Ranganathan, Rosalind Donald, Scott Freeman, Michael Alonzo
This fall, the Center for Environment, Community, and Equity commenced the CECE Faculty Research Incubator Program: a new funding program designed to launch exciting, interdisciplinary work on the environment conducted by faculty teams from programs across campus. By the end of the academic year, teams are expected to have built out their projects, piloted the […]
Carbon Removal Justice Fellows Program
November 14, 2023
Simon Nicholson, Jenn Brown
This past July, eleven fellows in the Carbon Removal Justice Fellows Program convened for two weeks of intensive discussions, launching a year of continued engagement on the equity and justice dimensions of carbon removal policy. Their aim? To challenge this emerging industry to break away from the patterns of environmental injustice that have characterized emissions-generating […]
The Climate Story Gaps Project: Locating Untold Climate Intersections in Washington, D.C.
November 14, 2023
Malini Ranganathan, Rosalind Donald
The first project of the inaugural Faculty Research Incubator Program is entitled “The Climate Story Gaps Project: Locating Untold Climate Intersections in Washington, D.C.”. The research team is made up of professors from both the School of Communication and the School of International Service. Dr. Rosalind Donald (School of Communication), Dr. Malini Ranganathan (SIS), Dr. […]