Robinson - Climate Justice
What mine was Ken trying to keep open?
The Brunswick Mine.
What type of countries are most at risk from climate change, according to Barnett?
Small Pacific Island nations.
What does the term “Just Transition” mean?
A fair shift to a low-carbon economy that protects workers, communities, and the environment.
This concept, discussed by Julie Sze, blends ideas from criminal justice and ecological restoration to promote equity, sustainability, and healing from environmental harm.
What is Restorative Environmental Justice?
What is the main cause of climate change today?
Human activities like burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) that release greenhouse gases.
What two things did Ken try to do at once for the miners?
Keep the mine open and prepare a transition plan.
What are two environmental impacts island states face due to climate change?
Sea-level rise and stronger cyclones.
What are the three aspects of a Just Transition according to McCauley?
Procedural, Restorative, and Distributive.
This 2005 natural disaster in New Orleans exposed how Black communities suffered catastrophic damage and lacked shelter, food, and water—highlighting racial disparities in environmental crises.
Hurricane Katrina
What is the name of the gas we release the most that causes global warming?
Carbon dioxide (CO₂).
What did Ken’s team achieve through lobbying that helped miners become employable again?
National certification of miners’ skills.
Why are poor countries more vulnerable to climate change?
They lack adaptive capacity due to lower wealth, infrastructure, and political power.
Who should be helped in a Just Transition?
Workers and communities.
This U.S. territory experienced nearly 3,000 deaths and $90 billion in damage from Hurricane Maria, with the poorest communities facing a 60% higher risk of death.
Puerto Rico
What is the “greenhouse effect”?
When greenhouse gases trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere, warming the planet.
Why did Bathurst become a “ghost town” even after efforts to support workers?
Job opportunities didn’t materialize, small businesses collapsed, and unemployment soared.
What makes climate change a “justice issue” in Barnett’s argument?
Wealthy countries pollute the most but are least affected, while poorer countries suffer the worst impacts.
What is the goal of a Just Transition?
To move to clean energy in a way that is fair to workers and communities.
In this place, an indigenous community was forced to relocate due to rising sea levels and coastal erosion, highlighting climate vulnerability.
Kivalina Alaska
What are two effects of climate change on the planet?
Rising sea levels and more extreme weather like heatwaves and storms.
How does Ken’s story reflect the broader question posed in Robinson’s climate justice framing?
It illustrates the difficulty of achieving a “just transition” where workers and communities are not left behind in the shift to a green economy.
How does Barnett use the metaphor “Titanic States,” and what does it suggest about climate vulnerability and denial?
It compares vulnerable nations to the Titanic—heading toward disaster with little power to change course—while larger powers ignore the warnings.
What is restorative justice in a Just Transition?
Repairing past harms to communities affected by pollution or environmental racism.
This emerging philosophy critiques capitalism and extractive economies, promoting community-led cultural movements that center care, equity, and sustainability.
Reparations Ecology
What is one way people can help fight climate change?
Using clean energy (like solar or wind), reducing car use, or planting trees