It's all about inclusivity in the environmental movement. It's the answer to that uneasy feeling you get when people talk about the planet being better without us, or the tension that arises when climate action and social justice are painted as two separate and competing causes. It's a focus on climate justice, a conscious acknowledgement that people and planet are one, and that environmental action is stronger when it uplifts the people involved.
The phrase was popularised by @greengirlleah when she called for the environmental movement to stand in solidarity with #blacklivesmatter. It builds on the important work of @kimberlecrenshaw who described intersectionality as an exploration of the way overlapping systems of power affect those who are most marginalised by society. It is a wholistic way of understanding oppression, and when applied to activism, it helps us to consider all bases, and understand the disproportionate impacts that climate change and other forms of environmental degradation have on certain groups.
Intersectional environmentalism helps us walk towards a world where people and planet are thriving. To get there, we work to amplify the voices of those who are marginalised, encourage solidarity between social and environmental movements, and push for systemic change to address the root causes of inequality.
We are in a time of great change, and it's exciting to see how the movement morphs and shifts to improve itself as it matures, too the benefit of everyone.
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