Prof. Dr. Gloria González Fuster is a Research Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)’s Faculty of Law and Criminology, and Co-Director of the Law, Science, Technology and Society (LSTS) Research Group. She holds a research position on Digitalisation & A Europe of Rights and Freedoms, and teaches Privacy and Data Protection Law. She is also a member of VUB’s research centre on Gender, Diversity and Intersectionality (RHEA). She authored the report Artificial Intelligence and Law Enforcement: Impact on Fundamental Rights (PE 656.295, 2020), and co-authored with Michalina Nadolna Peeters the study Person identification, human rights and ethical principles: Rethinking biometrics in the era of artificial intelligence (PE 697.191, 2021).
Break-out session 2:
Environmental racism and climate justice
Environmental racism is a form of systemic, structural racism whereby racialised communities are disproportionately burdened with health hazards through policies and practices that force them to live in proximity to sources of toxic waste such as sewage works, mines, landfills, power stations, major roads and emitters of airborne particulate matter. As a result, these communities suffer greater rates of health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed these underlying inequalities and exclusion, and their potentially dire health consequences.
A recent report highlights the severe and systemic environmental racism which Roma communities across Europe face. Roma communities often live on polluted wastelands and lack running water or sanitation in their homes as a result of “environmental racism”, a report has concluded. At the same time, several other persons or communities who have sought refuge in EU countries because of climate change in their home countries in Africa or in the Middle East are now impacted by racism.
The aim of the break-out session is to examine, how the issue of environmental racism can be effectively addressed by means of the European Green Deal.
Moderator: Vera Winthagen, JRC 01, European Commission
Scene setting: Arnold Kreilhuber, Head of the International Environmental Law Unit in the Division of Environmental Law and Conventions of the United Nations Environment Programme
Linda Greta Zsiga is a Roma woman, human rights activist, with experience in the area of the right to housing and protection against forced evictions. She is an active campaigner for the right to decent housing and social housing for disadvantaged groups, in particular the Roma living in Pata Rat, on the outskirts of Cluj-Napoca, in close proximity to the city’s garbage dump /landfill. She collaborates closely with other activists, Roma and non-Roma, promoting social justice, antiracism and non-discrimination.
Break-out session 2:
Environmental racism and climate justice
Environmental racism is a form of systemic, structural racism whereby racialised communities are disproportionately burdened with health hazards through policies and practices that force them to live in proximity to sources of toxic waste such as sewage works, mines, landfills, power stations, major roads and emitters of airborne particulate matter. As a result, these communities suffer greater rates of health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed these underlying inequalities and exclusion, and their potentially dire health consequences.
A recent report highlights the severe and systemic environmental racism which Roma communities across Europe face. Roma communities often live on polluted wastelands and lack running water or sanitation in their homes as a result of “environmental racism”, a report has concluded. At the same time, several other persons or communities who have sought refuge in EU countries because of climate change in their home countries in Africa or in the Middle East are now impacted by racism.
The aim of the break-out session is to examine, how the issue of environmental racism can be effectively addressed by means of the European Green Deal.
Moderator: Vera Winthagen, JRC 01, European Commission
Scene setting: Arnold Kreilhuber, Head of the International Environmental Law Unit in the Division of Environmental Law and Conventions of the United Nations Environment Programme
Rima Hanano is founding member and head of CLAIM. CLAIM unites and brings together 47 Muslim and non-Muslim civil society actors and forms a strong and diverse alliance against anti-Muslim racism/Islamophobia across Germany.
Before joining CLAIM in 2017, Rima Hanano has been working for an political educational project, aiming to contribute to a more balanced and factual debate on Muslims and Islam in Germany. She has more than 15 years of experience working for national and international CSOs. Rima Hanano holds a diploma degree in economics with a focus on development economics.
NGO
CLAIM unites and brings together 47 Muslim and non-Muslim civil society actors and forms a strong and diverse alliance against anti-Muslim racism and Islamophobia across Germany. Through nation-wide networking, CLAIM works to strengthen civil-society actors. Through information exchange and preventative advocacy, CLAIM counteracts Islamophobic activities that endanger the common good of the people in Germany and across Europe. CLAIM puts effective structures in place that promote professional exchange and cooperation in Germany and across Europe, and support organisations and projects to further build their capacity along these areas. Through publications, conferences and working groups, CLAIM fosters the development of evidence-based research, and put issues on the agenda that rarely get discussed. CLAIM works to improve data on the number of anti-Muslim incidents in Germany and across Europe, not only to help those affected, but to influence civil-society actors vis-a-vis political decision-makers. CLAIM is part of the Competence Network "Islamophobia and hostility against Muslims" as part of the federal program "Demokratie leben!". <br />
Break-out session 2:
Environmental racism and climate justice
Environmental racism is a form of systemic, structural racism whereby racialised communities are disproportionately burdened with health hazards through policies and practices that force them to live in proximity to sources of toxic waste such as sewage works, mines, landfills, power stations, major roads and emitters of airborne particulate matter. As a result, these communities suffer greater rates of health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed these underlying inequalities and exclusion, and their potentially dire health consequences.
A recent report highlights the severe and systemic environmental racism which Roma communities across Europe face. Roma communities often live on polluted wastelands and lack running water or sanitation in their homes as a result of “environmental racism”, a report has concluded. At the same time, several other persons or communities who have sought refuge in EU countries because of climate change in their home countries in Africa or in the Middle East are now impacted by racism.
The aim of the break-out session is to examine, how the issue of environmental racism can be effectively addressed by means of the European Green Deal.
Moderator: Vera Winthagen, JRC 01, European Commission
Scene setting: Arnold Kreilhuber, Head of the International Environmental Law Unit in the Division of Environmental Law and Conventions of the United Nations Environment Programme