Guest piece by Rebecca Keatinge on Community Law & Medication’s new Centre for Environmental Justice
Rebecca Keatinge is Environmental Justice Solicitor with Community Law & Mediation’s new Centre for Environmental Justice.
Community Law & Mediation (CLM) is an independent community law centre based in Dublin (Coolock) and Limerick, established in 1975. We provide free legal advice, advocacy and mediation services in communities experiencing disadvantage.
On 11 February 2021, we were joined by Mary Robinson to launch a new Centre for Environmental Justice to provide legal, advocacy and education services on environmental justice issues.
Environmental justice uses the power of the law to ensure that adequate responses to the climate crisis and other environmental challenges are taken and that those responses do not deepen social inequality.
It works to ensure inclusivity and fairness in the State’s response to environmental challenges so that communities experiencing disadvantage are not disproportionately impacted.
Why are we setting up a Centre for Environmental Justice?
The objective of the Centre is to empower communities experiencing disadvantage on environmental justice issues and advance legislative and policy change through strategic casework and law reform submissions. The Centre is a response to the challenges of climate change and to the impacts of measures being taken to address climate change.
In recent years, CLM has seen how climate change interacts with the issues experienced by the communities CLM works with, including energy poverty, housing, employment and health. CLM is already working with communities affected by issues linked to environmental justice, including flooding, health concerns related to poor air quality, and poor housing conditions. The Centre will provide specialised and expert legal services to communities on these issues.
What types of issues will the Centre be working on?
The Centre will focus on environmental justice issues that affect communities, for example: energy poverty and access to affordable and sustainable energy, air and water pollution, employment matters related to just transition, environmental health concerns, community participation and consultation on environmental matters, and broader climate change issues such as flooding.
What will CLM's new Centre do?
- Legal advice through a regular legal advice clinic, starting in February 2021
- Training and information resources for community and environmental groups
- Law reform and policy work
To book into our monthly environmental justice legal advice clinic or to find out more about our email info@communitylawandmediation.ie or call 01 847 7804.
Click here for a recording of the launch.