The Distributive-Justice Model of Environmental Law

The DistributiveThe Distributive--Justice Model of Justice Model of Environmental LawEnvironmental Law

David SchorrDavid Schorr

Distributive Justice inDistributive Justice inEnvironmental LawEnvironmental Law

Conventional approach:Conventional approach:““Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice””


Conventional approach:Conventional approach:““Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice””injustice suffered when environmental law injustice suffered when environmental law disregards or disserves the interests of the disregards or disserves the interests of the disenfranchised and dispossesseddisenfranchised and dispossessed

David H. David H. GetchesGetches & David N. & David N. PellowPellow, , Beyond Beyond ““TraditionalTraditional””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice, , in in Justice and Natural Resources 3 (Kathryn M. Justice and Natural Resources 3 (Kathryn M. MutzMutz et al., eds. 2002) et al., eds. 2002)


environmentalissues

distributiveissues

environmental justice


Conventional approach:Conventional approach:““Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice””–– focus on disadvantaged groupsfocus on disadvantaged groups


Conventional approach:Conventional approach:““Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice””–– focus on disadvantaged groupsfocus on disadvantaged groupsAristotelian approach:Aristotelian approach:any unjust distribution of environmental any unjust distribution of environmental harms and benefitsharms and benefits(distributive justice = giving to each his/her (distributive justice = giving to each his/her due)due)


Aristotelian approach:Aristotelian approach:any unjust distributionany unjust distribution–– all groups and individualsall groups and individuals

(not disadvantaged alone)(not disadvantaged alone)


Aristotelian approach:Aristotelian approach:any unjust distributionany unjust distribution–– all groups and individualsall groups and individuals

(not disadvantaged alone)(not disadvantaged alone)–– purely formalpurely formal

Ernest J. Ernest J. WeinribWeinrib, , AristotleAristotle’’s Forms of Justices Forms of Justice, , in in Justice, Law and Justice, Law and Method in Plato and Aristotle 133 (Spiro Method in Plato and Aristotle 133 (Spiro PanagiotouPanagiotou ed., 1987)ed., 1987)


environmentalissues

distributiveissues

environmental justice


environmental issues

distributive issues

conventional environmental justice

Conceptual Frameworks ComparedConceptual Frameworks Compared

““AristotelianAristotelian”” Environmental Justice:Environmental Justice:any unjust distributionany unjust distribution–– too wide, too formal, to be of any use?too wide, too formal, to be of any use?


““AristotelianAristotelian”” Environmental Justice:Environmental Justice:any unjust distributionany unjust distribution–– anthropocentricanthropocentric–– rightsrights--basedbased


““AristotelianAristotelian”” Environmental Justice:Environmental Justice:any unjust distributionany unjust distribution–– anthropocentricanthropocentric–– rightsrights--basedbased

suited as basis for legal claimssuited as basis for legal claims


Alternative FrameworksAlternative FrameworksEcological:Ecological:preservation of nature, ecological integritypreservation of nature, ecological integrity


Alternative FrameworksAlternative FrameworksEcological:Ecological:preservation of nature, ecological integritypreservation of nature, ecological integrity–– rightsrights--basedbased


Alternative FrameworksAlternative FrameworksEcological:Ecological:preservation of nature, ecological integritypreservation of nature, ecological integrity–– rightsrights--basedbased–– nonnon--anthropocentricanthropocentric


Alternative FrameworksAlternative FrameworksEcological:Ecological:–– rightsrights--basedbased–– nonnon--anthropocentricanthropocentricEconomic:Economic:correcting externalities, market failurecorrecting externalities, market failure


Alternative FrameworksAlternative FrameworksEcological:Ecological:–– rightsrights--basedbased–– nonnon--anthropocentricanthropocentricEconomic:Economic:correcting externalities, market failurecorrecting externalities, market failure–– anthropocentricanthropocentric


Alternative FrameworksAlternative FrameworksEcological:Ecological:–– rightsrights--basedbased–– nonnon--anthropocentricanthropocentricEconomic:Economic:correcting externalities, market failurecorrecting externalities, market failure–– anthropocentricanthropocentric–– not rightsnot rights--based (utilitarian)based (utilitarian)


Ecological:Ecological:–– rightsrights--basedbased–– nonnon--anthropocentricanthropocentric

Economic:Economic:–– anthropocentricanthropocentric–– utilitarian

““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental Justice:Environmental Justice:–– anthropocentricanthropocentric–– rightsrights--basedbased

utilitarian


√√√√Distributive Distributive ModelModel

√√EconomicEconomicModelModel

√√Ecological Ecological ModelModel

RightsRights--BasedBasedAnthropocentricAnthropocentric


Advantages of the Distributive ModelAdvantages of the Distributive ModelRightsRights--talk suited to legal argumenttalk suited to legal argument


Advantages of the Distributive ModelAdvantages of the Distributive ModelRightsRights--talk suited to legal argumenttalk suited to legal argumentAnthropocentrism Anthropocentrism crucialcrucial to legal argumentto legal argument


Advantages of the Distributive ModelAdvantages of the Distributive ModelRightsRights--talk suited to legal argumenttalk suited to legal argumentAnthropocentrism Anthropocentrism crucialcrucial to legal argumentto legal argument““Environmental law is, to a greater extent than other areas Environmental law is, to a greater extent than other areas of law, a product of external values not rooted in the of law, a product of external values not rooted in the system of human dignity and thus it is difficult to integrate system of human dignity and thus it is difficult to integrate into our legal system.into our legal system.””

A. Dan A. Dan TarlockTarlock, , The The NonequilibriumNonequilibrium Paradigm in Ecology and the Partial Paradigm in Ecology and the Partial Unraveling of Environmental LawUnraveling of Environmental Law, 27 Loyola L.A. L. Rev. 1121 (1994) , 27 Loyola L.A. L. Rev. 1121 (1994)


Problems with the Ecological ModelProblems with the Ecological ModelLeopoldLeopold’’s Land Ethic: s Land Ethic:

““A thing is right when it tends to preserve A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.otherwise.””

Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac with Sketches Here and ThereAldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac with Sketches Here and There(1949)(1949)


Problems with the Ecological ModelProblems with the Ecological Model““Should Trees Have Standing?Should Trees Have Standing?””

Christopher Stone, Christopher Stone, Should Trees Have Standing? Toward Legal Rights for Should Trees Have Standing? Toward Legal Rights for Natural ObjectsNatural Objects, 45 S. Cal. L. Rev. 450 (1972), 45 S. Cal. L. Rev. 450 (1972)


Problems with the Ecological ModelProblems with the Ecological Model““Should Trees Have Standing?Should Trees Have Standing?””

Christopher Stone, Christopher Stone, Should Trees Have Standing? Toward Legal Rights for Should Trees Have Standing? Toward Legal Rights for Natural ObjectsNatural Objects, 45 S. Cal. L. Rev. 450 (1972), 45 S. Cal. L. Rev. 450 (1972)

Humans v. EnvironmentHumans v. Environment

NatNat’’l Assn. of Home Builders v. Babbitt, 130 F.3d 1041 (D.C. Cir. 19l Assn. of Home Builders v. Babbitt, 130 F.3d 1041 (D.C. Cir. 1997) 97) ((SentelleSentelle, J. , J. dissentingdissenting))

The Distributive Model of The Distributive Model of Environmental LawEnvironmental Law


““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental Justice

““Civil RightsCivil Rights””Environmental Justice Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice


““Civil RightsCivil Rights””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceoppression of minority oppression of minority by majority

““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceoppression of minority oppression of minority by majority by majority by majority



““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceoppression of minority oppression of minority by majority by majority oppression of majority oppression of majority by minority

by majority

by minority



““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceoppression of minority oppression of minority by majority by majority oppression of majority oppression of majority by minorityby minority–– public choice

by majority

public choice



““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceoppression of minority oppression of minority by majority by majority oppression of majority oppression of majority by minorityby minority–– public choicepublic choice–– public trust

by majority

public trust



““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceoppression of minority oppression of minority by majority by majority oppression of majority oppression of majority by minorityby minorityany unfair any unfair environmental burden

by majority

environmental burden

Example: Emissions TradingExample: Emissions Trading

““Civil RightsCivil Rights””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice““disparate impactdisparate impact”” (on (on disadvantaged group)disadvantaged group)

Lily N. Chinn, Lily N. Chinn, Can the Market Be Can the Market Be Fair and Efficient? An Fair and Efficient? An Environmental Justice Critique Environmental Justice Critique of Emissions Tradingof Emissions Trading, 26 , 26 Ecology L.Q. 80 (1999)

““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice

Ecology L.Q. 80 (1999)



““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceunfair burden on any unfair burden on any group or individualgroup or individual



““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceunfair burden on any unfair burden on any group or individualgroup or individual–– disparate harm to disparate harm to

anyone (not necessarily anyone (not necessarily disadvantaged)disadvantaged)



““AristotelianAristotelian””Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justiceunfair burden on any unfair burden on any group or individualgroup or individual–– disparate harm to disparate harm to

anyone (not necessarily anyone (not necessarily disadvantaged)disadvantaged)

–– harm to general harm to general population with benefit population with benefit to minorityto minority

The Distributive-Justice Model of Environmental Law

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