The past few years have made it glaringly obvious that all global issues are, in one form or the other, ingrained in racial injustice. The latest instances of it are provided in a recently published report by the Runnymede Trust and Greenpeace UK. The report sheds much-needed light on the issue of environmental injustice. It is a highlight of the battle, that the people of colour and indigenous communities fought for over a decade, against environmental racism.
The report talks about incidents of environmental racism all around the world and connects them to the United Kingdom. It points out that the people of colour and those from indigenous communities suffer adverse effects of the environmental crisis while they are the ones who have the least negative impact on it. All the while, these are the people who are least equipped to cope with such extreme strains. The richer countries become richer at the cost of the global south. This puts a majority of people of colour and indigenous groups under exploitation. These politically marginalized groups hardly have any means to protect themselves against oppression.
Specifically in the UK, according to the report, there is evidence that people of colour are offered less paying, highly dangerous job opportunities. People of colour and indigenous groups are also more likely to be found living in areas that are most impacted by environmental crises.
Halima Begum, CEO of the Runnymede Trust told Asian Voice, “Talking about the economic disparity, Halima said that the world cannot overcome the environmental crisis without addressing the disparity patterns. It is also implicit in achieving racial justice worldwide. She also points out that the governments need to stop deviating and legislating for shorter terms and should now have a plan of action for this generation and for those that are to follow. According to her, “Immediate action is required to implement the urgent changes that will address the climate crisis for the citizens of every country on the planet, while there is still time.”
However, Britons seem unaware of the racism that is interlinked to the climate crisis in the country. Racism in itself, is daily news in all parts of the world, even when the gentlemen’s game is involved. The most recent incident occurred in Scotland where former cricketer Majid Haq accused the Scotland Cricket Board of alleged racism. In a recent press conference, the cricketer recalled being called the p-word and was asked if he was involved in money laundering or if he was dealing drugs. As a result of the surfacing of these accusations, the Scotland Cricket Board has resigned with immediate effect.
NHS and racism: Post-Brexit UK is no different
Dr Indranil Chakravorty from the BAPIO Institute for Health Research (BIHR) feels that bias and discrimination are deeply ingrained in society at large as well as being prevalent in the institutions in the UK. Sharing his stance, he said, “Even though it is a shadow of its past colonial might, the post- Brexit UK is no different, as a society with deeply embedded racism.” Talking about the National Health Service, Dr Indranil points out that the NHS, in spite of working with staff and patients of diverse backgrounds, manifests persistent racism. This can be clearly pointed out through the body’s annual surveys and outcomes that fall well below its constitutional aspiration of providing universal health access to all.
Dr Indranil also highlights the positive changes brought about by the pandemic and how some NHS leaders have recognised the existence of widespread health inequalities, the connection between racism and health and only now the direct causality between health and climate emergency. “In May 2022, the Women’s Forum of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin organised the first multi-agency health conference on climate emergency and equality for women”, he states. This conference brought together the NHS employers, academics and climate activists in Milton Keynes to pledge their commitment to sustainability, reducing the NHS carbon footprint to net zero by 2035 and tackling the differential impact of climate change on health by adopting anti-racist policies.
According to Shilpa Bilimoria, Creative Director and Founder of House of Bilimoria and a promoter of sustainable fashion, “The climate crisis has been affecting people in the global south much before the impacts like the heatwave we are seeing here.” She further added, “When things like this affect the global South there isn’t a major uproar from the west- and this is racism, as it is only important to speak on or report if it affects the west. This is the real damage that has and is being done constantly.”
