Article
First EJOLT Report: Industrial waste conflicts around the world. Case studies from India and Bulgaria: shipbreaking and incineration
In this report, we examine how struggles for environmental justice contribute to the environmental sustainability of the economy, illustrating the point by two detailed case studies from India and Bulgaria. This report…aims to link the increased social metabolism (energy and material flows) of the economy to waste disposal conflicts. As a consequence, ecological distribution conflicts emerge as valuation conflict where actors deploy different valuation languages to affirm their right to use a safe environment, from which their health and livelihood often depends upon. Key lessons and mutual learning from both cases is then discussed paying particular attention to the political strategies which can be adopted in environmental conflicts, including grass roots mobilization, cases in the Courts, popular epidemiology, national and international alliances.