Prioritizing Communities

Renewable energy policies should recognize—and attempt to correct—the history of fossil fuel oppression and displacement of Indigenous people.

CalEnviroScreen is a mapping tool that helps identify California communities that are most affected by many sources of pollution, and where people are often especially vulnerable to pollution’s effects. CalEnviroScreen uses environmental, health, and socioeconomic information to produce scores for every census tract in the state.

The new Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map is a science-based tool that combines data on pollution and vulnerability to pollution to compare the cumulative impacts for Washington communities statewide. The Map has many applications, including designating communities with cumulative impacts, prioritizing resources, hiring, and enforcement; and improving land use regulation, public participation and accountability, and data accuracy.

Recommendations for Climate Justice

A Just Transition is a fundamental shift from an extraction-based economy to one that is democratic, equitable, and regenerative.

In their influential article “The City as Growth Machine” and in subsequent work , John Logan and Harvey Molotch assert that regional economic growth is best understood through analysis of the coordinated investments and power maneuvers of a small set of inter-locking regional elites in banking, real estate development, construction, energy utilities and politics.

100% policies should include clear language that calls out environmental justice (EJ) and sets clear targets.

The extractive culture of the fossil fuel industry is inextricably linked to the inequality and the discrimination of women, girls, and the LGBTQ community.