Energy, Equity, & Climate Agenda
In 2021, U.S. cities experienced twenty natural disasters that caused more than $1 billion in damage each. Man-made disasters (e.g., terrorism, power outages, cyber-attacks) also inflict severe damage. The City of Atlanta is working to mitigate climate change and build residents’ resilience through a variety of pathways, with an emphasis... Read more
Climate Resilient Healthcare Systems
King County is dedicated to building innovative and intersectional climate solutions that support community resilience and limit the climate burden on frontline communities. The County’s 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP), is a five-year plan for the County’s climate actions, integrating climate change into all areas of County operations. Under... Read more
Sustainable Land Use In Cemeteries
Durham’s segregated past resulted in the creation of two public cemeteries: Maplewood (historically white with identified Confederate graves) and Beechwood (historically Black). Beechwood is running out of space; with limited availability for traditional burials. Given the history of segregation and the generations of families that are already buried in Beechwood,... Read more
Developing Equity-Centered Policies to Reduce Harmful Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The City of Kansas City, like many cities throughout the US, is experiencing the impacts of climate change like never before– through increased temperatures, increased periods of drought, and more frequent flooding. Kansas City generates 18 tons of greenhouse gasses per person (three times the world average). In the early... Read more
Building Urban Resilience by Integrating Community-based Power Supplies
One area of urban resilience New Orleans is focused on improving is within the electric grid. The electric grid is central to the web of interconnected systems that must operate resiliently to serve communities during times of extreme weather. From medical treatment to dry shelter, food, and clean water, nearly... Read more
Developing and Implementing a Community-Centered Climate and Equity Plan
As the planet continues to warm, Milwaukee, like many American cities, faces the increasingly catastrophic effects of climate change. Milwaukee also has pronounced racial disparities that are exacerbated by this climate crisis. Confronted with the climate emergency and persistent economic disparities, Milwaukee recognizes an opportunity to simultaneously address both of... Read more
Implementing Strategies to Mitigate Disaster and Build Long-Term Urban Resilience
In 2020, Nashville weathered the worst disasters in the city’s 238-year history. This included being hit by a category EF3 tornado in early March – the largest natural disaster in the city since the area’s 2010 flood. Then the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which briefly debilitated the city’s tourism... Read more
Building Community Resilience by Implementing a Climate Health Equity Program
King County Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) and its Environmental Health Services Division (EHS) are dedicated to building innovative and intersectional climate solutions that support community resilience and limit the climate burden on frontline communities. The department’s Blueprint for Addressing Climate Change and Health (Blueprint) offers a... Read more
Developing Environmentally Sustainable Approaches to Maintaining Roads
The Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services (StreetsLA) maintains 23,000 miles of car, bike, and pedestrian lanes per year. After power generation, paving streets is one of the leading producers of greenhouse gas in a municipality’s operations. StreetsLA is committed to finding new ways to pave roads, bike paths and... Read more
Establishing Community-Based Clean Energy Programs
San Jose has been working to become one of the most sustainable cities in the country. As part of that effort, the city established San Jose Clean Energy (SJCE), which offers renewable energy options at competitive prices to residents and businesses. SJCE is also working to develop clean energy programs... Read more