Climate Justice Now Crossing Disciplines to Combat Our Planetary Crisis

Climate change is not only an environmental crisis but also a catalyst for worsening socioeconomic inequalities, leading to widespread calls for “climate justice.” Even though this term has become increasingly common, there remains no universally accepted definition. This challenge is compounded by the limitations of traditional scholarly frameworks, which struggle to encompass the dynamic and pervasive impact of the climate crisis across global, national, and local levels. The scope of the crisis requires ethical, social, and political considerations alongside scientific and environmental insights in order to shape equitable responses by states and societies.

This multidisciplinary book offers a comprehensive exploration of debates on climate justice across the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Synthesizing these divergent approaches, it develops a new conceptual framework that transcends disciplinary divides, providing a deeper and richer understanding of climate justice. Contributors make an urgent case that climate justice must be centered within and across disciplines, creating a roadmap for multidisciplinary research and pedagogy on the climate crisis. Featuring a wide range of voices and actionable recommendations, this timely book illuminates how scholarship on climate change can become a call to action.

Rebecca Marwege is an assistant professor of environmental politics at the American University of Paris. She previously served as the junior director of the Columbia Climate School Earth Network on Decarbonization, Climate Resilience, and Climate Justice.

Nikhar Gaikwad is an assistant professor of political science and a member of the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University. He is the senior founding codirector of the Columbia Climate School Earth Network on Decarbonization, Climate Resilience, and Climate Justice.

Joerg Schaefer is Lamont Research Professor in the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and adjunct professor of earth and environmental sciences at Columbia University. He is the senior founding codirector of the Columbia Climate School Earth Network on Decarbonization, Climate Resilience, and Climate Justice.