Climate justice activists are linked internationally and aremindful that decisions made in the U.S. have implications forother communities, especially those in the Global South. Thepush for electrification of vehicles, for example, is beingaccompanied by the rush by corporations to control thesupply of lithium (for energy storage, i.e., batteries) in countriessuch as Bolivia, Mexico, and the Shoshone Nation. The exploit-ative aspects of extractive industries often trigger an array ofimpacts and actions, including interference with that countries”politics and Indigenous People’s Tribal Sovereignty and inmany instances circumventing the process of Free Prior andInformed Consent (FPIC).

As time went on, there was a shift in leadership structureand union members became increasingly fearful of the decline ofwages, benefits, and a pension if they lost their jobs due to thetransition away from the fossil fuel industry. This points to theessence of a just transition perspective – that as the shiftoccurs away from fossil fuel or toxic contamination industries,the economic needs of workers who will lose their jobs mustbe addressed, particularly to obtain their support in the fightagainst climate change. This is the fundamental tenet of a “justtransition.” The Just Transition Alliance formed in 1997.

Creating space in government planning for the voices of front-line communities has the potential to profoundly alter thequality of planning and policy decisions. Achieving climatejustice requires alliances whose members reflect many realmsof experience and expertise. EJ activists have always workedwith allies and across negotiation tables. The best alliances -and the most informed perspectives - will include the voicesfrom workers and communities that have been the zones ofenvironmental contamination.

Many, if not most, of the early EJ activistsemerged from social movements of the 1960s including blackcivil rights movements, the Chicano Movement including theFarmworkers” Movement, the American Indian Movement,and the fight for Puerto Rican Independence, thus highlightingthe understanding by early EJ activists of underlying structuraland economic forces at play in the assaults against their commu-nities (Córdova et al. 2000).