Climate & Environmental Justice
Climate & Environmental Justice: Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples often bear the brunt of environmental and climate injustices, facing systemic inequalities intensified by both natural changes and harmful man-made practices that disrupt the Earth’s delicate ecosystems. These destructive actions result in the depletion of arable land, scarcity of clean drinking water, and the forced displacement and migration of vulnerable communities.
Majestic Reign is committed to raising awareness about these critical issues and advocating for a more just and equitable world. We support policies that confront these disparities, promote cultural understanding, and stand in solidarity with the communities most impacted by environmental harm both locally and abroad.
Earth
In what ways does environmental injustice impact the Earth?
Environmental injustice impacts the earth in many ways, one of which is that rare earth mineral mining disproportionately impacts countries in the Global South, where Black and brown communities face contamination of groundwater and air, displacement, and exploitation with little to no benefit to local Indigenous populations.
In places like the DRC and Brazil, mining pollutes the Congo and Amazon Rivers, destroys the Congo and Amazon rainforests, and devastates ecosystems—fueling global industries at the cost of human and environmental health.
Water
How does environmental injustice affect water?
It affects water in several different ways and severely impacts global water supplies, disproportionately harming underserved, marginalized, and Indigenous communities who rely on vulnerable water sources.
These populations face reduced access to clean, potable water due to contamination from mining, industrial waste, and poor infrastructure—leading to waterborne illnesses, long-term health issues, and preventable deaths.
The situation is worsened by global trade and commercial shipping, which pollute oceans with fuel, waste, and debris, killing marine life, eroding shorelines, and destroying coastal ecosystems.
As a result, communities that depend on these waters for food, water, and livelihoods face environmental degradation, economic hardship, and deepening inequality.
Air
Environmental injustice also extends to air pollution, which disproportionately affects Black, brown, and Indigenous communities globally—especially in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Brazil. In these areas, the air is heavily polluted by emissions from mining operations, deforestation, uncontrolled industrial activity, and the burning of fossil fuels.
The release of particulate matter, toxic gases, and heavy metals into the air leads to respiratory diseases, chronic health conditions, and premature death, with little to no environmental regulation or protection for local populations.
In Brazil, large-scale fires set to clear land for mining and agriculture choke the air and devastate Indigenous territories. In contrast, in the DRC, unregulated mining releases harmful dust and chemical fumes.
As with water pollution, the communities most affected by this environmental harm are those who contribute least to the problem, yet suffer the most from its health and economic consequences.