WASHINGTON (February 18, 2022) – In response to the release of the beta version of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Equitable and Just National Climate Platform co-authors, a coalition of environmental justice and national environmental groups, released the following statement:
“The release of the beta version of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool is an important step toward identifying disadvantaged communities and directing federal investments and benefits to where they are needed most to improve public health, lives and livelihoods. A well-designed and effective tool that uses high quality data and reflects the perspective of EJ communities is essential to implementing President Biden’s commitment to deliver 40 percent of the climate and infrastructure investment benefits to disadvantaged communities.” “
The draft screening tool and 60-day comment period gives communities and environmental justice experts a critical opportunity to share input before the tool is finalized to ensure that it effectively delivers long-overdue investments and benefits to communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis, economic inequality and environmental injustice. We look forward to reviewing the tool in more detail and providing comments, and encourage community leaders and environmental justice experts to also provide feedback.”
“In addition, Congress must act immediately to pass a Build Back Better investment package to unlock critical funding for pollution-free energy and transportation, toxic pollution clean up, affordable climate-resilient housing, and more to improve quality of life, cut energy, transportation and health care costs, and increase access to economic opportunities for all.”
The Equitable & Just National Climate Platform celebrated its two-year anniversary on July 17, 2021. In 2019, signatories to the platform achieved consensus on a historic plan calling for national climate action that confronts racial, economic, and environmental injustice as it enacts deep cuts in climate pollution and accelerates a pollution-free energy future that benefits all communities. The co-authors included leaders from a dozen environmental justice organizations and six national environmental groups. More here.
For more information, please contact Jake Thompson at jthompson@nrdc.org or Anahí Naranjo at naranjo@ceed.org
