Environmental Justice and Human Rights: Protecting Communities in the Face of Climate Change
Justicia Ambiental y Derechos Humanos: Protegiendo a las Comunidades Ante el Cambio Climático
Keywords:
Environmental justice, Climate change, Human rights, Vulnerable communities, Ecological resilienceAbstract
This article investigates the intersection of environmental justice and human rights in the context of climate change, emphasizing the protection of vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by environmental degradation and ecological crises. Through comparative case studies in the Amazon Basin, Bangladesh, and the Arctic, the research highlights how Indigenous peoples, women, and low-income populations face compounded risks due to climate-induced displacement, resource scarcity, and pollution. Utilizing interdisciplinary methodologies that combine legal analysis, environmental science, and participatory action research, the study reveals gaps in international human rights law regarding environmental protection. The novelty of this work lies in its integrative framework that situates environmental justice as an essential component of human rights, advocating for stronger legal mechanisms and community-led strategies to ensure equitable adaptation and resilience. This article contributes to expanding the scope of human rights discourse by centering ecological sustainability and social equity amid global climate challenges.
Este artículo examina la intersección entre justicia ambiental y derechos humanos en el contexto del cambio climático, enfatizando la protección de las comunidades vulnerables que enfrentan impactos desproporcionados derivados de la degradación ambiental y las crisis ecológicas. A través de estudios comparativos en la cuenca del Amazonas, Bangladesh y el Ártico, la investigación destaca cómo los pueblos indígenas, las mujeres y las poblaciones de bajos ingresos enfrentan riesgos compuestos por desplazamientos climáticos, escasez de recursos y contaminación. Mediante metodologías interdisciplinarias que combinan análisis jurídico, ciencias ambientales e investigación acción participativa, el estudio revela vacíos en el derecho internacional de los derechos humanos respecto a la protección ambiental. La novedad del trabajo radica en su marco integrador que sitúa la justicia ambiental como componente esencial de los derechos humanos, proponiendo mecanismos legales más robustos y estrategias comunitarias para garantizar una adaptación y resiliencia equitativas. Este artículo contribuye a ampliar el discurso de derechos humanos al centrar la sostenibilidad ecológica y la equidad social en los desafíos climáticos globales.
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