The Role of Psychology in Environmental Justice Debates: A Scoping Review on Key Contributions, Emerging Challenges, and Future Responsibilities

This scoping review examines how psychology has engaged with environmental justice (EJ) debates over the past 30 years, identifying key contributions, emerging challenges, and future responsibilities for the discipline. Through lexical and temporal statistical analyses of 352 academic publications, the review critically maps the state-of-the-art of psychological contributions to EJ and traces their temporal trajectory. Results reveal that while psychology’s role in EJ has expanded in the last decade, it remains marginal compared with fields such as public health and urban studies. The psychological literature also appears internally fragmented and predominantly framed within health-oriented, distributive paradigms. The review identifies four key contributions of psychology to EJ debates: (1) physical environments, socioeconomic disparities, and subjective experiences; (2) mental health, coping strategies, and the social dynamics of climate change; (3) community engagement, inclusive governance, and participatory research; and (4) transformative, emancipatory, and critical frameworks. Historical trends indicate a recent emergence of climate-related mental health concerns, as well as an increased interest in participatory, qualitative methodologies. Findings also highlight four emerging challenges for psychology: (1) contrasting environmental health risks and social inequalities; (2) healing the psychosocial impacts of environmental crises; (3) fostering socio-ecological equality through participatory research; and (4) acknowledging minoritized voices and vulnerable populations. The review concludes by advocating for psychology to adopt a more politically conscious, culturally responsive, and interdisciplinary stance, actively contributing to the co-construction of just, inclusive, and sustainable futures.