What Is Environmental Justice—and Why Does It Matter Now?
Environmental justice is more than a buzzword. At its core, it asks one critical question: who benefits from environmental progress, and who bears the cost? As climate change intensifies and institutions make bold sustainability pledges, the question becomes not just urgent, but unavoidable.
Historically, certain communities—especially those marginalised by race, income, disability, or geography—have been systematically excluded from environmental decision-making while disproportionately exposed to pollution, displacement, and environmental harm. Environmental justice challenges this imbalance by centring equity in sustainability efforts. It ensures that the voices of those most affected are not only heard, but help to shape the decisions that impact their lives.
This is where the Inclusive Environments Framework comes in.
Developed through a collaborative research project, and grounded in principles of co-production, the Inclusive Environments Framework offers a structured, step-by-step cycle for embedding environmental justice into planning, policy and institutional decision-making. It is particularly relevant to higher education institutions, public bodies, and community-facing organisations committed to inclusive, context-sensitive sustainability.
A Framework Rooted in Practice
Unlike many theoretical models, the Inclusive Environments Framework was designed with and by practitioners. Its structure reflects the realities of policy development and project design, while offering practical tools to challenge entrenched inequality. It walks users through nine key stages, each with supporting materials:
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Educate and Empower – Sharing knowledge between organisations and communities.
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Explore – Co-exploring sustainability issues, goals, and options.
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Scoping – Assessing the nature and scale of potential impact.
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Information Gathering – Collecting qualitative and quantitative data with community involvement.
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Conversations – Dialogues between affected groups and decision-makers.
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Assessing Impact – Analysing the evidence and voices gathered.
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Create an Action Plan – Designing responses tailored to real experiences.
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Publish and Share – Communicating findings and actions transparently.
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Monitor and Review – Following through with reflection and improvement.
Each step invites institutions to pause, reflect, and embed inclusion—not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a mindset.
Why It Matters Now
The effects of climate breakdown are not distributed equally. From floods to air pollution, housing stress to food insecurity, environmental threats hit hardest in communities already marginalised by systemic inequity. COVID-19 further exposed how unequal systems fail under pressure—especially when sustainability and justice are not connected.
In 2025, we’re seeing widespread interest in ‘green transitions’—but without justice, they risk repeating old mistakes. Environmental justice offers a way forward that is more resilient, more collaborative, and more ethical.
Institutions cannot address climate or ecological challenges in isolation from social ones. They must build decision-making processes that are transparent, inclusive, and directly shaped by those with lived experience. This includes embedding leadership from marginalised communities, and making space for intersectional knowledge systems—not just professional or academic expertise.
The Inclusive Environments Framework equips users to do just that. Whether you’re developing a new sustainability strategy, evaluating a green campus initiative, or consulting on a local infrastructure change, the framework helps ensure your approach is collaborative and accountable.
From Words to Action
This framework is more than a diagram—it is a working tool. It comes with:
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A downloadable template to document progress.
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A simplified flowchart for easy orientation.
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Practical guidance on each step of the cycle.
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A focus on co-production and lived experience leadership throughout.
And crucially, it is designed to be iterative. The framework encourages users to return, review, and refine—not just act once and move on. Justice is not an endpoint; it’s a continuous process.
Final Thoughts
Environmental justice asks us to widen the lens. It challenges institutions to move beyond surface-level sustainability and into deeper, more inclusive forms of change.
With the Inclusive Environments Framework, organisations have a practical way to do that. By embedding this tool into their everyday practices, they can make better decisions—with the people who matter most—leading to long-term environmental, social, and institutional resilience.
Now is the time. Let’s not build a greener future that only works for some. Let’s build one that works for all.
