Researchers

Researchers have used EJAtlas data to analyse patterns of environmental impacts, conflicts and resistances to better understand the causes of environmental injustices as well as the conditions enabling more just and sustainable futures. The global, regional and thematic scope of the EJAtlas allows investigators to adopt novel quantitative methodologies to understand patterns and trends of  environmental conflicts, and to complement case study research with larger comparative and statistical analyses. Like all research methodologies and databases, the EJAtlas has limitations which should be understood to draw robust conclusions. You can access the research output from our group in our scientific publications page and in our featured maps. Other researchers interested in using the database can request access to the dataset (See data use policy).

Teachers

Educators at all levels and in many countries have used EJAtlas cases and featured maps as case studies or global overviews to illustrate some of the concepts taught in their courses. Additionally, some syllabus include the research and contribution of a case study to the EJAtlas database. In this activity, students are motivated to contribute to an impactful research and campaigning effort while learning a semi-structured research methodology. Do get in touch if you want to use the EJAtlas in your course by emailing [email protected] with the subject “REQUEST - students and courses”. More on how the EJAtlas is used in classrooms can be read here.

Activists and Environmental Justice Organisations

Activists and environmental justice organisations explain their struggles and make visible the injustices they are facing with the EJAtlas. Other organisations and networks also use it to learn from other campaigns, for networking and forming political alliances between movements of resistance, and to visibly show how their struggles are not isolated. Some remarkable examples include the featured map on resistances to airport infrastructure elaborated in collaboration with Stay Grounded; the featured map showing featured map showing the resistance against fossil gas infrastructure in Europe in collaboration with ODG and Rosa Luxemburg Foundation; and the mapping of conflicts around mining for the energy transition in the Americas with MiningWatchCanada.

Public Institutions and International Organisations

Public institutions and international organisations including the UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), UNEP, UNDP, the Latin America office of the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR), the EU Joint Research Center and the Barcelona municipality have already used the EJAtlas data. The EJAtlas database offers insights on the economic and policy drivers of socio-environmental impacts, and can be used as a tool to identify specific regions, economic sectors, commodities and jurisdictions to focus efforts on defining strategies and policies furthering environmental justice and human rights. It can also help identify regional patterns of actors mobilising and communities discriminated against in environmental conflicts, which can in turn inform the actions of such bodies in trying to mitigate and remediate environmental and social inequalities.

Journalists

Journalists visit the EJAtlas as a source of information and contacts. The EJAtlas offers a unique window into local environmental conflicts all over the world. This is of interest to journalists from other regions that are interested in understanding the key local events, actors and debates. At the same time, the EJAtlas provides a global overview of the environmental conflicts around a specific commodity, company or sector which can give useful context information for themed journalistic reports. Finally, journalists and documentary directors sometimes also tap on the extensive network of environmental justice organisations and EJAtlas collaborators as a source of contacts to interview for their works.