Energy, Environment, and Climate Justice Workshop

Please join us for the February session of the Climate Justice Workshop, on Thursday, February 13 from 7:30-9:00 pm in the FCBLibrary. Phil Landrigan, Biology Professor at Boston College, pediatrician, Director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good, and Director of the Global Observatory on Planetary Health will speak and lead a discussion on how climate change affects the health outcomes of environmental pollution; he will also summarize the latest findings on how plastics affect health, and the status of the global treaty to restrict plastics production.

Phil is known worldwide for his path-breaking work that led to eliminating lead from gasoline, protecting against occupational health hazards, and acting on global environmental pollution damages and dangers (as well as understanding how these are multiplied or aggravated by climate change).

A seven-part series that will pose and address core ethical and spiritual questions, including:

How do we understand justice in three different issue areas--energy, environment, and climate, not only in the US but also across regions globally?

How do the different forms of justice, from procedural and distributive to restorative (or corrective), help to illustrate the injustices with regard to energy, environment, and climate, and point to just policy responses?

Discuss complementary principles – the polluter pays, protecting future generations, ensuring subsistence rights, responsible use of the atmosphere’s absorptive capacity

How are US federal and state governments responding to energy, environment, and climate injustices? What more needs to be done in Belmont, Massachusetts, and the US as a whole?

What are the broad global and specific regional emerging effects of global warming on peoples and societies, especially with regard to justice?

What are the justice implications of global warming for vulnerable groups in the Amazon, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia?

 How are communities, societies, and global organizations responding to these implications?

How do responses to injustices in Belmont, Boston, and Massachusetts compare with those of other cities and states?

What might we consider doing as individuals or as an FCB community? 

You do not have to attend all sessions; each session stands alone. The classes will meet on the second Wednesday of each month; Jan. 8, Feb. 12, March 12, April 9, and May 14. The first two sessions are on the 3rd Wednesday of October and November.

Course plan for the seven meetings --- In the spirit of UU principle 7 – Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part, (To discuss - How does principle 1 - “The inherent worth and dignity of each individual” relate to principle 7) The reason for 90-minute meetings is to emphasize discussion over presentations, e.g. presentations of 30 minutes with 60 minutes for discussions

1. What are Energy, Environment, and Climate Justice (and injustice) from the local to the global? Dave Deese: Energy – poverty; racism; de-colonialization; just transition; Environment – racism; vulnerable communities; divestment, keep it in the ground, regulating the production, transport & use of fuels; Climate - intergenerational equity, intragenerational equity, common but differentiated responsibilities, collective responsibility for ensuring vulnerable countries and peoples have the right to develop

2. The US Issues, Problems, and Corrections – local to national

Illustrative recent actions – 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Chips and Science Act, 2022 Inflation Reduction Act with Justice 40 Initiative & Justice Advisory Council

Key justice steps for Belmont, Boston, and Massachusetts

Brian Kopperl (invited) to address Belmont; Downing Cless (invoted) to explain 350.org and the state of Mass; David Deese to outline key national challenges & steps taken

3. The Global South (Less and Least Developed Countries) Issues, (beginning with global health implications of uneven global warming) Programs, and Responses Guest - Professor/Dr Phil Landrigan

3. Regional responses-Brazil & the Amazon

Indigenous peoples’ rights, preferences, & responses

Guest- Angelo Gurgel, MIT (Brazilian agricultural economist)

4. Regions-Sub-Saharan Africa

Protecting & advancing women & girls’ progress in education, health, employment Guest – School of Public Health, Harvard University

5. Regions—South Asia

Sustaining coastal peoples & communities

Guest – from India to address climate migrants and refugees

6. Responses—Global Programs and Efforts from networks of cities to the UN Climate COPs (including migration and refugees). David Deese

7. Issues & responses— We are individually, decarbonizing our building, Belmont, Boston, Mass, and New England

Guest – Faythe Beauchemin, School of Education, Boston College

How do we teach our children and grandchildren about our and their relationship to nature and the environment? How about the use of energy and natural resources?

David Deese: Making energy decisions that promote core justice principles—availability, affordability, due process, open access to information and participation

Core climate principles—sustainability over the long term, intergenerational equity, intragenerational equity, common but differentiated responsibilities

Global per capita entitlement tax, global carbon tax, global carbon auction market, minimum subsistence rights worldwide

The known steps to a net zero future

What are the three to five steps we each might take that will have the greatest climate outcomes, e.g. take one fewer long-distance flight/year?