Environmental racism – ERGO Network

Roma and Environmental Racism: The Role of the EU Strategic Framework in Ensuring Environmental Rights and Dignity

Under International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the ERGO Network and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) organised an online joint policy launching event on Environmental Justice in Roma Communities and the EU Roma Strategic Framework on 29 January 2024 from 14:00 to 16:30.

Date: 29.01.2024

Time: 14:00-16:30 CET

Location: Online

Last autumn, the EEB and the ERGO Network collaborated to host the inaugural Environmental Justice Conference for Roma communities in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The event arose as a natural response to the EU’s recognition of environmental justice in October 2020, signified by the adoption of the EU Strategic Framework for Roma Equality, Inclusion, and Participation – a pioneering policy document which notably highlights the imperative for environmental justice within the EU.

This collaboration was now followed up on the framework of the Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th by a joint EEB/ERGO event on environmental justice in Roma communities and the EU Roma Strategic Framework.

The event aimed to launch several policy products developed by the European Environmental Bureau and the ERGO Network, including the joint report on Environmental Justice in National Roma Strategic Frameworks, the EEB Case studies on Environmental Racism and the Basic Principles of Environmental Justice and Roma communities as a main outcome of our October Environmental Justice Conference in Cluj, Romania.

The event heightened awareness about the imperative to monitor the repercussions of environmental racism on Roma communities. This monitoring spans the National Roma Strategic Frameworks and wider EU Environmental policies and programs, emphasizing a commitment to a human rights baseline— a fundamental principle of environmental justice.

Lastly, the event endeavoured to actively involve stakeholders in this crucial dialogue to continue to work ahead in 2024.

We thank all the participants of the event. For those who were not able to attend, please note that you can still view the recorded event on the ERGO Facebook page:

watch the recording of the event

Agenda of the event

13:30 – 14:00 Registration and online connection

Moderator: Stephanie Richani, Advocacy Lead, Equinox Racial Justice Initiative -Equinox

14:00 – 14:15 Opening remarks and purpose of the meeting

Gabriela Hrabanova, Director ERGO Network
Patrizia Heidegger, Director EEB
MEP Romeo Franz, Greens/EFA, Germany

14:15 – 15:10 ERGO & EEB report on Environmental Justice in NRSFs

Isabela Mihalache, ERGO Network
Dan Doghi, European Commission, DG JUST
Magda Boulabiza, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, ENAR
Discussion

15:10 – 16:10 EEB case studies and Basic principles on Roma and Environmental justice

Diego Marin, Policy Officer for Raw Materials and Resource Justice, EEB
William Acker, National Association of Citizen Travellers (ANGVC) – Case
study in France
Francesc Cots, Energy & Climate Manager, Eco-union, Spain – Case study in
Spain
Discussion

16:10 – 16:30 Conclusions and follow-up

MEP Patricia Caro Maya, The Left group in the European Parliament
GUE/NGL, Member LIBE Committee, Spain (video message)
Patrizia Heidegger, Director EEB

Background

The European Commission and EU Member States have set guidelines to combat antigypsyism through the EU Roma Strategic Framework, adopted in 2020, and the Council Recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion, and participation. This strategic framework focuses on three pillars: equality with the broader society, social and economic inclusion, and active participation in various aspects of life.

A significant development within this framework is the inclusion of environmental justice guidelines for Member States. It calls for recognition and action against environmental discrimination affecting marginalized Roma communities in segregated areas, representing a groundbreaking acknowledgement of the connection between racial discrimination and environmental challenges faced by the Roma, such as the lack of access to essential services – including tap water, safe and clean drinking water, adequate sanitation, waste collection and management services, and other environmental services.

As of January 2023, the European Commission’s assessment of National Roma Strategic Frameworks reveals that several Member States address improving access to essential services, notably running water. However, there is a limited inclusion of both mainstream and targeted measures for social housing access. Some strategies focus on official procedures for urban development, residential upgrading, home ownership encouragement, and infrastructure investment in areas like electricity, gas, water, sewage, waste management, roads, and transport access.

Furthermore, a report organised by the EEB as a follow-up to our 2020 “Pushed to the Wastelands” focusing on Eastern Europe provides detailed case studies of environmental racism in Western Europe. Both reports collectively assert that environmental racism is a pan-European issue, underscoring that countries are ill-prepared to address contemporary issues leading to environmental injustices, let alone that member states are inadequately responding to future ecological challenges for Roma communities.

The most recent report on the topic, produced jointly by ERGO Network and EEB will be presented at the event on 29 January, titled “Environmental Justice in National Strategic Frameworks.” It delves into the critical intersection of environmental justice and the inclusion of Roma communities in Europe. The comprehensive analysis begins by outlining the policy context, emphasising the significance of environmental justice concerning Roma inclusion. Recognising the historical oversight, the report highlights the adverse environmental conditions faced by Roma and Traveller communities, from living near pollution sources to discriminatory housing practices. The introduction stresses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the vulnerability of marginalised communities due to limited access to essential environmental services.

Download ERGO and EEB Report here

The report then focuses on the EU Strategic Framework for Roma Equality, Inclusion, and Participation, adopted in October 2020, marking a crucial milestone in addressing environmental justice within EU policy. The subsequent development of National Roma Strategic Frameworks by Member States is examined, focusing on social inclusion areas such as education, employment, healthcare, and housing. The analysis aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how environmental justice is addressed within these frameworks, considering direct environmental aspects and related proxies like access to housing and utilities.

Additionally, the report identifies good practices at the national level and offers recommendations to Member States for enhancing their strategies, emphasising the need for collaborative discussions among stakeholders to address the risks and impacts of environmental racism and discrimination faced by Roma and Traveller communities.

The Common Basic Principles for Environmental Justice for Roma emerged through deliberations with community representatives, civil society members, practitioners, and academics engaged in Roma rights issues during the first Environmental Justice for Roma Conference held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, on October 11th, 2023. Rooted in equity, inclusivity, and justice, the principles address historical and ongoing environmental injustices Roma populations face.

download the Common Basic Principles

For more information about ERGO Network’s work on environmental justice, please contact Senior Advocacy Officer Isabela Mihalache.

UN Side event on discrimination based on work and descent

Since 2019, as a consequence of ERGO Network’s work on the Sustainable Development Goals for Roma inclusion, ERGO Director Gabriela Hrabanova works together with the Global Forum on Discrimination on Work and Descent (GFoD), the Asia Dalit Rights Forum and other global minority organisations to raise awareness of the important topic Discrimination based on Work and Descent (DWD) at the United Nations level and to bring together Roma with other communities victims of DWD.

In the framework of the 2020 United Nations General Assembly, a series of side events took place in New York and online organised by GFoD and with the support of the Permanent Mission of Germany in New York, which attracted the participation of politicians and members of civil society from across the world. Besides ERGO Network Director Gabriela Hrabanova also Member of the European Parliament Romeo Franz (Greens/EFA) was a panelist in the meeting.

This year, due to the pandemic, the Forum took the form of a Round Table with 15 Parliamentarians from countries in Africa (Somalia, Niger, Mauritania), Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), Brazil and Europe (Germany, Spain, Slovakia, Belgium).

The discussions focused mostly on the strategies for the caucus of MPs to make appropriate and effective interventions at both UN & Regional Bodies, and with bilateral bodies/processes towards the elimination of DWD globally. An additional topic was the outlining of measures for building up the International Parliamentarians Forum on DWD to operate as an effective platform at global and regional level.

The participants discussed best practices and possible strategies at local, national, regional and UN level to improve the fight against DWD.

Discrimination based on work and descent affects around 260 million people worldwide. Communities discriminated on work and descent are one of the most excluded and segregated groups globally, and this affects their daily social, economic, political, civil and cultural life. Compared to the majority population in their respective countries, Dalits in South Asia have less access to education, communities of former and modern slavery in Mauretania are economically deprived and Roma in Europe have less access to health care and services.

International cooperation around the topic of DWD has been gaining momentum since 2015, when DWD communities looking for solidarity beyond their own countries and communities found similar discrimination practices among African, European and Latin American communities and founded The Inclusivity Project at international level. But the kick-off for the Forum was a Round Table at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Senegal in New York in 2019. Seven parliamentarians from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka have discussed DWD and options for action with representatives from European Roma networks, the African Network on DWD and Slavery, the Asia Dalit Rights Forum and Quilombola from Brazil.

As a consequence of all endeavours in the last decades the Global Forum on DWD – against Casteism, Antigypsyism & Traditional and contemporary forms of slavery has been formed during the first Congress on DWD in September 2019 in New York with representation by descendants of former slaves, Burakumin, Dalis, Quilomboa, Sinti & Roma.