Wildfires can be seen as far north as Michigan. | AP
While the months of April, May and June have brought about some modest but significant environmental victories in the short term, they must be balanced by the fact climate change and the man-made destruction it causes continue to ravage the planet. While the United States has taken some steps in the right direction with its legislative and political actions, other parts of the nation and the world were confronted by events that serve as stark reminders of the dangers they face.
White House appoints new Director for Environmental Justice
The appointment of one of the most recent environmental justice officers may prove to be a silver-lining in an era when environmentalists can be both optimistic and frustrated by climate policies of the Biden administration. The White House Announced May 5,Jalonne white-Newsome would be the new Director of Environmental Justice. White-Newsome will succeed Cecilia Martinez as the new Director of Environmental Justice.
White-Newsome’s support for the fight against climate change is a strong indicator of Biden’s prioritization. She will help to strengthen and continue the administrations commitment towards expediting federal governments ability to pursue environmental justice. White-Newsome’s background includes work with the Justice Department. This makes White-Newsome’s emphasis on justice a fitting one. Empowering a Green Environment & EconomyShe founded a consulting company called, to combat global warming and preserve racial equity.
White-Newsome RemarksI was a witness to the effects of valuing profits over people early in my professional life and personal life. This has unfortunately left a legacy of environmental injustices in our country. But, we have the chance to make a new legacy. It will not be easy but the urgent and critical work that the Biden Harris administration has done is moving us closer toward environmental justice.
She also statedOne of the most important things that is missing is the chance for black and brown people from communities with environmental justice concerns actually to be involved in the decision-making process. We need to engage at all levels federally, state-wide, and local to ensure environmental justice.
New York passes a tough new law to clean up polluted areas
As of the last week in April New York passed new legislationThe fossil fuel industry will not be able treat already polluted communities as garbage dumps. The state legislature Bill S1031C passedNew York’s Department of Environmental Conservation would have to evaluate the risk of cumulative pollutants in a neighborhood before allowing the construction of industrial buildings there. This would mean that power plants, warehouses and other sources of dirty electricity would have to pass a rigorous screening before they are allowed to set up. This could be a key lynchpin in protecting and cleaning up communities already plagued by environmental health problems.
New York follows New Jersey’s lead in this decision Similar legislation was passed in 2020. Environmental groups hailed it as the ultimate in environmental justice legislations. Grist.org states that the New York bill prohibits any actions and permit issuances which might cause or contribute to a disproportionate or unjustified pollution burden on communities. This includes those with a large percentage or residents of color, low-income residents, preexisting economic hardships, or current high rates of pollution.
It was first introduced to the state legislature as a different form in the 1990s. Industry opposition took so long to overcome. It was rejected by the state legislature in its original form due to racist zoning laws.
Sonal Jessel is the director of policy. He said that this problem of inequitable citation was one of the main issues that sparked the environmental justice movement. We act for environmental justice. What we were doing was saying enough. It’s time to ensure that those communities who have dealt with this vulnerability for so much time have some protection in the law.
Northern Michigan is ravaged by wildfire on 2,710 acres
U.S. wildfires are often headlined because it is assumed that they are occurring in the South, particularly the Southwest. New Mexico is currently being destroyed and burned.It was the second-largest ever blaze. Michigan, however, is serving as a stark reminder of the dangers of climate change to everyone up north. The 2,710-acre firefighting area is currently under attack by firefighters. Blue Lakes FireIt weaved its way across Montmorency county and Cheboygan. Although it was 60% contained by May 15, it still caused evacuations, road closings, vehicle damage, and road closures. Additionally, it threatened the integrity a dozen structures close to the Black River Ranch.
Authorities believe it was caused by lightning and strengthened by tinderbox conditions in the forest. Kerry Heckman, spokesperson for Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said that the fire is fueled with a mixture of jack and mixed pine as well as grasses. The smoke plume can be seen from miles around.
The fire was a little too close to home for the state’s resident Elk. One thousand of these animals roam.The Blue Lakes Fire was just northwest from Pigeon River Country State Forest. According to state wildlife officials there are already 49,000 hunters applying for hunting elk in 2021, which is part of a decade-long trend.
Brazil’s Amazon breaks a new deforestation record
Elsewhere, the Amazon rainforest continues its decline. The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research reported it Record deforestationDuring the first three months in 2022. It got worse. The April deforestation rate was 74.6 percent higher than the April 2021 record, which was 250,317 acres. According to Reuters.
Marcio Attrini, the leader of the country’s climate observatory, has declared that Jair Bolsonaro is the cause of this record. Since Bolsonaro’s election in 2019, which was right-wing, the destruction of the Amazon has been rampant. He also wreaked havoc with environmental protection. Astrini stated that analysts were shocked to see such a high level of deforestation, especially in April when the area is extremely muddy and more difficult to access for loggers.
This is an extremely high number for this time period. Mariana Napolitano agreedWorld Wildlife Fund Brazil’s science director. It’s an alarm of the immense pressure the forest faces.
Although this destruction is clearly and intentionally human-caused it will also be a deadly weapon for global warmings arsenal with the rainforest now. More CO2 being released than it absorbs. According to the World Wildlife FundGlobal climate change and more deforestation in the Amazon will likely lead eventually to higher temperatures and changing rain patterns. This will undoubtedly impact the Amazon’s forests, water availability, biodiversity and human health.
According to Professor Scott Denning, Colorado State University, the Amazon in the southeast is no longer growing at a faster rate than it’s dying. This is terrible. This is bad. It means that we must eliminate fossil fuels quicker than we thought by having the most productive carbon absorber planet switch from a sink into a source.
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