Planning For The Future While Facing Today's Challenges
How is climate change relevant today?
Our community is being challenged to address racial and social inequities in our systems while navigating a pandemic that shows no signs of slowing. Can we afford to care about climate change?
Failing to act now may worsen racial and social inequities tomorrow. Climate change impacts are projected to disproportionately harm low-income communities, as they are more likely to reside in areas with higher risks of flooding, air pollution, and extreme heat events.
Communities that have already been disproportionately affected by COVID may also face aggravated future respiratory health impacts from wildfire smoke, air pollution, and related threats.
As we examine and reshape our systems to correct the deficiencies exposed by 2020, we have an opportunity to incorporate equity checkpoints and safeguards that will protect all members of our community from anticipated climate impacts tomorrow.
Now is the time to act.
Like the coronavirus crisis, climate change is a massive but foreseeable global risk. The COVID-19 crisis shows us the
importance of listening to scientists and taking early action, as governments can take huge steps to protect their populations.
Social distancing, inclusive dialogue, and other forward-looking practices that we’ve adapted in 2020 show us that collective action can work if we all do our part.
Just imagine what we can achieve by working together to build a stronger, greener, fairer, and more resilient community.
