Analyze

Emerging technologies are increasingly being sought as interventions to intractable environmental and public health issues that promise to intensify on our warming planet. Genetically engineered mosquitoes could curb the impacts of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue. Solar geoengineering could use cloud thinning or aerosol scattering to reflect sunlight back into space and cool the planet. Adequate regulatory and governance mechanisms do not yet exist for these technologies, the impacts of which span international boundaries, and have the power to irreversibly alter environments. There is wide recognition from national and international bodies that decision-making processes surrounding these technologies must engage local and Indigenous communities whose lands and resources would be impacted by their trial and deployment. In response, public, community, and stakeholder “engagement” has taken center stage in the discourse on emerging environmental technology governance. Scientists and technologists are now compelled to engage publics and communities, as they recognize that some form of engagement or authorization will be requisite to the application of their technologies outside the laboratory. The language of participatory engagement abounds in scientific and governance literature on environmental technologies. These texts espouse the importance of co-design, relationship-building, shared decision-making, and mutual learning, and recognize the uneven power relations in which environmental decisions have historically been made. Yet, emergent practices of engagement leave much to be desired in terms of realizing their stated aspirations. Deficit model approaches frame publics and communities primarily as “lay people” needing to be educated before weighing in on decisions. In my fieldwork on one Pacific island where genetically modified mosquitoes are being considered for endangered bird conservation, I observed a focus group in a market research firm in which local and Indigenous residents were tested on their knowledge of invasive species biology and asked to rank radio advertisements and slogans about the modified mosquitoes. The conflation of engagement with marketing strategies and public relations campaigns prioritize the management of public perception over genuine dialogue or mutual learning. In theory, all the interest in engagement promises to open up meaningful possibilities for local and Indigenous communities to realize their rights to self-determination. In practice, strategic and instrumental approaches instead subdue opposition and manufacture consent. Legal mechanisms are needed to codify Indigenous rights in decision-making processes. Alternative approaches are needed that widen the focus beyond a single technofix to let communities define environmental challenges and collectively imagine solutions. Opposition should be read not as a barrier but as a generative site for inquiry, as often it is not the technology itself being refused but the exclusionary processes that surround its use. The most just solutions are likely to emerge from those very refusals. 

Taitingfong, Riley. 2023. "It’s all talk: how community engagement is failing in environmental technology governance." In 4S Paraconference X EiJ: Building a Global Record, curated by Misria Shaik Ali, Kim Fortun, Phillip Baum and Prerna Srigyan. Annual Meeting of the Society of Social Studies of Science. Honolulu, Hawai'i, Nov 8-11.

1. How does the organization intend to push the Inland Empire towards a zero-emissions, sustainable, regenerative society? What does this vision look like and how can we get there?

2. How does the organization approach diversity, equity, and inclusion issues within its own structure and in its work with external partners?

3. How does the organization balance its advocacy and direct service work?

4. How does the organization ensure transparency and accountability in its operations?

The CCAEJ addresses environmental injustices and promotes sustainability within the Inland Empire community. AAdvocating for these policies that promote environmental justice engages polluters to be held accountable for their presence. The organization can achieve a more just and equitable society beyond heavy industry. The CCAEJ work to empower residents to have a voice in the decisions that directly affect their health, well-being, and homes, promoting democratic participation and good governance.  

Past media coverage sportrays CCAEJ as a vocal and effective advocate for environmental justice in California, specifically for the Inland Empire region. Their website has a resource tab that features the organization's work covered in various news outlets, including local newspapers and national magazines. Some media reports include the organization's successful campaigns, such as the Indirect Source and Advanced Clean Truck Rule.

CCAEJ functions within the environmental justice movement, a sector that seeks to address the unequal distribution of environmental burdens and benefits that often fall along racial and socioeconomic lines. The organization is based in California's Inland Empire region, known for its heavy industry, poor air quality, and high rates of poverty and pollution-related health problems. Within this regional ecology, CCAEJ has established itself as a prominent community-based organization that advocates for the health and well-being of residents disproportionately impacted by pollution and other environmental hazards. The organization works closely with community members, government agencies, and other organizations to advance environmental justice goals and promote sustainable and equitable development.

 The Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ) collaborates with various organizations, including labor, faith-based, LGBTQIA, immigration, and prison reform/abolitionist organizations. For example, the organization has worked with groups such as Sierra Club, Earthjustice, Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability, and the California Environmental Justice Alliance on various campaigns and initiatives related to environmental justice.

 CCAEJ is likely to face many challenges and concerns regarding the problem spaces in which they work, which would include environmental injustice, community health, and land use planning. Some examples might include lack of political will, limited resources, complex and interconnected problems, systemic barriers, and community engagement and empowerment.

1. This organization does not explicitly state that its approach to addressing environmental justice issues is unique; however, in this project and reviewing other organizations, I was surprised to see on their website they do outwardly believe in a zero-emission future and regenerative and sustainable economies. Given precedent, this could be perceived as quite a radical approach, especially to corporations or other stakeholders seeking to profit from the industrial landscape of the Inland Empire. 

The Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice produces and shares a variety of data and research related to its focus areas, including environmental justice, community health, and land use planning. The organization conducts original research, partners with academic institutions and other organizations to produce reports, and compiles and analyzes data from various sources. The organization's approach to evaluating and monitoring the credibility of the information it uses and circulates likely involves a combination of internal review and external validation.

 CCAEJ engages in a range of initiatives to address environmental health and justice issues in California's Inland Empire region. Some illustrative examples of the organization's work include Environmental justice advocacy, community-based research, education and outreach, coalition building, and environmental health monitoring. CCAEJ's initiatives are designed to promote environmental health and justice in the Inland Empire by empowering community members, conducting research, providing education and outreach, building coalitions, and monitoring environmental health conditions.