Title : Environmental racism and one health: Methods of intervention through a decolonial approach
Abstract:
Environmental racism describes the practice of placing marginalized, vulnerable, or minority ethnic and racial populations at greater risk of exposure to environmental hazards due to systemic policies and discriminatory practices. Examples range from polluted air and water in marginalized neighbourhoods to greater proximity to hazardous waste sites, factories, and other sources of toxic pollutants. This leads to heightened rates of respiratory illnesses, cancer, developmental disorders, neglected animal diseases and zoonotic, and increased mental health stress in these communities, perpetuating cycles of inequality and further reducing access to healthy environments.
The One Health approach recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, plant and environmental health. It advocates for integrated solutions that address diseases and health risks emerging from the shared living environments of all species, stressing that environmental stressors impact physical and mental well-being across this quadrant. Yet in practice, traditional One Health interventions can inadvertently reproduce colonial power dynamics, excluding marginalized communities, and, consequently, other species, from decision-making or failing to address the underlying social injustices driving health disparities.
A decolonial approach aims to shift this paradigm by interrogating structural inequities and centering the voices, knowledge, and lived experiences of communities most affected by environmental racism. Decolonial interventions emphasize community empowerment, participatory processes, and the dismantling of extractive policy frameworks. They seek to restore land sovereignty, promote environmental justice, and design interventions on the basis of shared, context-sensitive knowledge. Methods may include community-based mapping of environmental exposures, participatory health assessments, advocacy for policy reforms, one health and one welfare primary assistance, and collaborative monitoring of environmental and health outcomes.
Decolonial methods also prioritize direct engagement with community leaders, fostering educational opportunities, and co-developing culturally relevant health programs. These efforts can be scaled by connecting local initiatives to broader networks of environmental justice advocates, leveraging the One Health framework to secure resources, and influencing public policy.
Ultimately, meaningful intervention against environmental racism requires a transformation of systems, shifting away from top-down policies toward inclusive, locally led actions. By embedding decolonial perspectives within One Health practice, interventions can more effectively redress health disparities, restore environmental agency, and strengthen community resilience for people and ecosystems historically marginalized or harmed by systemic inequities.
