Tecendo reflexões: territorialização e racismo ambiental, a partir de Campos Elíseos - Duque de Caxias

Abstract

This text investigates the phenomenon of Environmental Racism and its relationship with the production and organization of geographical space in the Campos Elíseos district of Duque de Caxias. The research seeks to highlight the relevance of a geography that dialogues with local and ancestral knowledge through cultural practices and memories, as a way of confronting socio-environmental injustices. It highlights the need for intersections between race, space and the environment, reimagining possible futures that include dignity and well-being for all subjects and territories. Based on this context, the central objective is to describe how Environmental Racism manifests itself in the context of the industrialization of a peripheral neighbourhood, highlighting the impacts on local populations and territorial processes. To this end, the specific objectives were to outline the historical and social profile of the territory, identify the agents involved in the organization of urban and social space, and relate academic concepts to local experiences. The methodology adopted combines the researcher's writing, participant observation, documentary analysis and field diary entries, using community events and statistical data to build a critical approach situated in the context of the Baixada Fluminense. The research articulated geographical concepts, such as territory, territoriality and sacrifice zones, with debates on Environmental Racism, highlighting how capitalist logic perpetuates racial inequalities. Campos Elíseos was presented as an emblematic example of a space subjected to the burdens of industrial development, where Reduc's chimneys symbolize both progress and exclusion. The results show the disconnection between agents acting locally - the state, industries and residents - and the absence of territorial planning that prioritizes quality of life. This gap amplifies negative impacts such as pollution, disease and low territorial self-esteem. In addition, greenwashing practices mask predatory exploitation, hindering social mobilization.