Notion and elements of environmental justice: guidelines for its implementation in territorial planning and strategic environmental evaluation

Abstract

Environmental justice was a concept incorporated in environmental debates in the United States in the late seventies. Since then, this concept has evolved from a political demand to an objective in environmental law. The authors that have developed this subject identify different elements in the concept that delimit its reach and application. In Chile it is a recently explored idea and has not been yet manifested in politics or in national environmental legislation. This work suggests the elaboration of guidelines in territorial planning and strategic environmental evaluation, starting from notion and elements in environmental law, which will allow the thorough incorporation of this concept in our environmental law.