A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #348 - Politics, Intersectionality: For anti-racist and popular ecological struggles (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Working-class neighborhoods are at the intersection of domination and 
are more severely affected by the consequences of pollution and global 
warming. However, the links between the environmental movement and the 
struggles of these neighborhoods are still struggling to be created 
despite encouraging first steps. ---- Working-class neighborhoods are at 
the crossroads of various forms of domination. The racist state deploys 
colonial mechanisms there which make the lives of the inhabitants 
extremely difficult: reduction of public services, increased 
authoritarianism to the detriment of education, geographical exclusion 
with less public transport, police violence... adds a quality of life 
strongly impacted by environmental crises. Working-class neighborhoods 
are covered in concrete, which reinforces heat islands. Conversely, 
wealthier neighborhoods in metropolises accumulate green spaces (private 
or public) which provide cooling during heatwaves.[1]

Working-class neighborhoods are built in unpopular areas of cities, 
often near highways or industrial sites, thus exposing them to 
significant pollution. For example, in Lyon, schools classified as 
REP/REP+ (Priority Education Network) are three times more numerous in 
areas heavily polluted by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (exceeding 40 ug/m³, 
the limit value annual regulatory)[2]

Parallel struggles...
To face these social and ecological injustices, residents of 
working-class neighborhoods are organizing through struggle collectives, 
unions of those concerned, etc., to defend: the right of access to the 
swimming pool with the swimsuit covering, improving school menus... At 
the same time, there are struggles against large useless projects and 
for the reappropriation of land: mega basins, No TAV... But, these two 
spheres of struggle struggle to meet and several elements can explain it.

Firstly, as we were able to observe after the assassination of Nahel, 
when a movement emanating from working-class neighborhoods takes shape, 
we note a certain distrust and a period of observation applies due to 
lack of (re)knowledge of these struggles . Second, the modes of action 
are different. For example, an action kept secret or illegal leads to a 
selection of potential participants. We live in a racist and 
authoritarian state, which means that the risks faced by people are not 
the same depending on their racialization. Thus, wanting to carry out 
civil disobedience without a real strategy other than massification 
necessarily implies a filter on the participants. Furthermore, the 
inhabitants of working-class neighborhoods suffer excessive racism, a 
racism which excludes them every day, making them feel "not at home", so 
how can we expect any defense of land in a territory which is not "our". 
Finally, the few existing common spaces compartmentalize us, which 
hinders our class solidarity. Revitalizing local unions, labor 
exchanges, residents' centers or even creating popular ecology centers 
(such as Verdragon)[3]are avenues for recreating common spaces of 
solidarity and struggle.

...who would benefit from helping each other
However, some links exist and deserve to be strengthened. In 2020, an 
event took place jointly organized by the Adama Committee and 
Alternatiba under the common slogan: "Adama Generation, Climate 
Generation: we want to breathe". This solidarity in the face of 
repression is important, it is therefore necessary to build links to 
fight together and demonstrate real class mutual aid. This cannot take 
place without a profound questioning of the racist dynamics present 
within predominantly white organizations.

Oum and Léo (UCL Grenoble)

For further:

Fatima Ouassak, For a pirate ecology, La Découverte, 198 pages, 17 euros.

To validate

[1]Correia, Mickaël, Huet, Donatien and Rossi, Cédric, "Climate 
inequalities: how the rich monopolize green spaces", Médiapart

[2]Deguern, Séverine, Desfontaines, Valérie, Soret, Jodie, Stahl, Mina, 
Talantikite, Wahida, Vandentorren, Stéphanie and Vasseur, Pauline, 
"Social injustice in the air. Child poverty and air pollution", UNICEF 
final report, October 2021

[3]Verdragon, Maison de l'Écologie Populaire, is a place/project 
co-constructed by Alternatiba Paris and Front de Mères more info in the 
dedicated space on the Front2meres.org website.

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Intersectionnalite-Pour-des-luttes-ecologiques-antiracistes-et-populaires
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