The 7th Generation Principle and Environmental Justice
Creating urban adaptation policies for a climate-just city
“Is it racially equitable?”
Dr. Christian Braneon makes the case for this question to be asked whether reviewing a policy, or considering the distribution of impacts post-disaster; it is his interest in and commitment to anti-racism that he believes illuminates a path toward creating a climate-just city. Without considering the disproportionate impacts of accelerating climate change on black and brown communities throughout this country, urban (as well as rural, and periurban) adaptation interventions are more likely to have unintended negative consequences.
One unfortunately all-too-common example is the introduction of green spaces as a resiliency measure without (1) collaborating with communities to prioritize what they need, in the way they need it, and (2) taking into account the systemic and structural forces that might prevent the intended community from receiving the benefits. What can happen instead is what has come to be known as “green gentrification;” investments are made to beautify a neighborhood, property values go up, and low-income residents are pushed out.
Unintended consequences also bring Christian to his second recommendation: to incorporate the Seventh Generation Principle into our work, particularly in the climate adaptation space. Born from Indigenous philosophy, the principle in essence is that in the choices we make, we should consider the effect those choices will have on the next seven generations in the future. Just imagine if it was this concept of sustainability that guided our resource management and decision-making. Christian is right to suggest this principle shape our policies moving forward, as it just might be what is necessary to ensure a just transition and protect as much as we can in light of how much we’re likely to lose.
A final (for the purposes of this brief reflection) piece of wisdom from Dr. Christian Braneon ties these two approaches together. He noted that we must be deliberate about allowing climate to always intermingle with equity in conversations. So, no matter what you are attempting to change, consider the ways in which these intersect: only then can you create the enabling environment for true change.