Environmental Justice in Ecosystem Restoration Frameworks

Abstract

Ecosystem restoration projects are happening frequently around the globe, driven by an increase in awareness about the importance of healthy ecosystems to humans. These projects play an important role in mitigating negative environmental impacts that vulnerable communities face. However, no clear guidelines exist on how restoration can be developed in ways that adhere to environmental justice principles. Restoration frameworks are prescriptive models giving steps for restoration processes, which guide efforts as researchers, activists, and governments work to restore ecosystems. Given these frameworks can impact the environmental justice outcomes of restoration projects, it is key to understand their current strengths and weaknesses. Here we present a systematic literature review of restoration frameworks across the globe to understand what methods for restoration exist, how they address issues of environmental justice, and to compile frameworks for restoration, which rarely and indirectly address issues of environmental justice. Environmentally just frameworks, including the framework presented here, integrate multiple types of recognition as well as community empowerment in decision-making. To address the lack of these aspects in current restoration frameworks, we propose a novel framework that incorporates key principles of environmental justice into the restoration planning and implementation process.