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210 GYULA NAGY resistance, on 11 February 1994, the United States government passed a decree on environmental justice stipulating that the idea of environmental justice be incorporated in the policy of all federal developments and environmental agencies. It also spelt out that efforts should be made to realize environmental justice not only in policy but also in action plans and programs. The research of the past three decades has gradually shifted its focus from the minorities and distribution to the study of spatial, geographical evolution and the distribution of injustices. The emphasis of contemporary environmental justice research is not only on space and locality, but increasingly on the exploration of underlying — global or local — implications. In addition to the presentation of unjust events, the drivers and conseguences of the problems are also researched. Walker (2012) claims there are three factors to be studied simultaneously when researching environmental injustices: the notion of justice; the evidence of the unjust processes; events, situations, and the process(es) that led to the given situation (fig. 1). JUSTICE P| EVIDENCE “As things “As things are.” should be.” . ae Normative Descriptive Explanatory PROCESS “What are things like and why?” Figure 1. Elements of the study of environmental justice. Source: author on the basis of Walker, G. (2022) Conceptual frameworks of environmental justice Environmental justice is a complex notion built of various components. Though it seemingly comprises two main elements: justice and the environment — its content and quality — it implies more than the two notions. It is therefore necessary to describe these one by one, as well as environmental justice as a whole. Environmental justice, as first defined by the American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “\.. is the fair treatment and meaning involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. This is to be ensured for individuals, national communities and the entire nation. This goal will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn and work.” Thus, environmental justice can be defined as the universal right of human beings to an environment of identical conditions and quality in which they can live a full life (1), having an equal share of the risks and harms caused by social-economic activities or political decisions (2) or by natural processes taking place in nature (3).
