Environmental justice
As a school committed to global sustainability, we recognize the critical importance of ensuring that all people have equal access to the benefits of a clean and healthy environment.
Rodolfo Dirzo
Professor of Earth System Science
"Historically disenfranchised communities have been on the frontlines of the adverse consequences of the Anthropocene. On the one hand, global environmental change — the combined negative effects of land use change, over-exploitation, pollution, and climate change — has a disproportionately negative impact on the sectors of society that contribute the least to it. Furthermore, those communities that have historically been suppressed and marginalized also receive the lesser share of the once bountiful resources of Mother Earth's life-supporting systems. In this context, development of a strong environmental justice culture is imperative if we are to create ethical, just, and resilient solutions for local, regional, and global sustainability. Meeting this challenge is simultaneously an inescapable responsibility and the motivation that drives our mission."
Events
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability hosts forums and co-hosts conferences to elevate awareness, broaden discourse, and inspire action on climate change solutions and environmental justice. Recent and upcoming programs include:
Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Justice Conference | June 2-3, 2025
This environmental justice conference seeks to amplify the voices of Indigenous Peoples in relation to environmental justice.
Environmental justice roundtable highlights energy and policy, health, and Indigenous Peoples issues
Part of the dean’s lecture series from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, a recent event featured environmental justice experts in energy, environmental health, and Native environmental policy.
Haas Distinguished Visitors focus on environmental justice
A partnership between the Haas Center for Public Service and Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability is hosting four changemakers in sustainability and environmental justice for a residency during winter and spring 2024. On Jan. 25, the Distinguished Visitors shared about their work in a panel discussion.
The Duality of Environmental Justice Conference
On Mar. 18 and 19, 2024, this conference discussed how environmental justice scholarship is needed to create just, ethical, and resilient solutions for sustainability for the world’s most challenging social-environmental problems.
Arun Majumdar
Dean of the Doerr School of Sustainability
“Real change can not happen if we are not actively and deliberately working toward equitable access to environmental benefits and preventing the disproportionate effects of environmental harm.”
Student opportunities
Environmental justice minor
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability offers a minor in environmental justice to current students.
Computer science major first to add minor in environmental justice
Evan Baldonado, ’23, one-time co-director of Students for a Sustainable Stanford, was the first undergraduate to adopt a minor in environmental justice offered through the Earth Systems Program.
Impactful research, lifelong skills
Claire Morton, ‘24, took the opportunity to experience methodological research through the Mentoring Undergraduates in Interdisciplinary Research (MUIR) program.
News
Learn more about research and activities focused on environmental justice.
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From affordable housing in the Bay Area to Indigenous land rights in the Klamath River watershed, environmental scientist Sibyl Diver’s work depends on building lasting relationships.
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Attendees of the third annual Stanford Oceans Conference shared approaches for recognizing and incorporating culture into governance across the Indian Ocean.
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The Sierra Club’s executive director drew connections between civil rights, economic disparities, and the environment while offering guidance on how to achieve community-level impact at a keynote March 10.
Environmental Justice Working Group
The Doerr School of Sustainability works in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Working Group. Learn more about the EJWG and their work to embed environmental justice into our research, teaching, and community-engagement at Stanford.