How photography can address the climate crisis as a social justice issue

We need to redefine the climate crisis as a social justice issue. The rapid decline of our environment is a site for multiple intersections of injustice, making the climate crisis a human rights issue of critical and increasing importance. The impacts of climate change are not – and will not – be borne equally or fairly between rich and poor, women and men, and older and younger generations. Consequently, there is a growing need to focus on climate justice, which looks at the climate crisis through a human rights lens. We need to be motivated by the belief that we can create a better future for present and future generations by working together.

In this series of events, we have been questioning whether the visual representation of the environmental crisis over the last few years has focused too much on faraway places, trying to shock, showing communities that feel distant and unconnected.

The question now is whether we need to change this perspective. This change could be done by altering the types of stories depicted or by adding the gaze of those who narrate important accounts, especially those directly involved in a context of injustice. Could these more unfiltered views help make connections that enable the viewing public to think and shift understanding?

In this event, moderated by Dr Paul Lowe, series curator Maria Teresa Salvati is joined by Abdel Mandili, founder of the People’s Planet Project.