From decarbonization to waste reduction strategies, the Department of Sustainability is focused on creating a more equitable and climate resilient Providence. The Department prioritizes resources on Providence’s frontline communities, which are most impacted by environmental challenges and historic divestment. This approach enables progress on citywide goals, while producing localized benefits in acutely impacted areas. In 2019, the Racial and Environmental Justice Committee (REJC) used a collaborative governance model to develop the Providence Climate Justice Plan (CJP). The CJP is a broad vision for environmental justice across a range of topics and is informed by the experiences of frontline residents. It sets high-level goals and recommends strategies to achieve them.
Providence’s Climate Justice Plan includes seven key objectives, 20+ targets, and over 50 strategies aiming to create an equitable, low-carbon and climate resilient city. The plan sets forth concrete carbon-reduction targets in buildings and transportation sectors while promoting clean energy sources. It also addresses the system-level changes that are needed in our governance structures, our economic system and the overall health of our communities to ensure a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels. The plan provides near-term policy and program recommendations to meet these targets and highlights the climate action already taking place within the Providence community and from the City of Providence.
Why are we updating it?
To maintain Providence’s momentum on equitable climate action, the Sustainability Department will collaborate with community organizations and engage residents, particularly those who have been historically marginalized in the first five year update to the Climate Justice Plan (CJP), which addresses the causes and impacts of the climate crisis by centering the priorities of our frontline communities.
Mayor Smiley and the Department of Sustainability will collaborate and share decision making authority with community-led community organizations. Using the Just Providence Framework for collaborative governance, the update will strengthen relationships between the community and City and support the organizations’ efforts to build their internal capacity and organizing efforts. The goal is to develop deeper trust between the City, organizations and frontline residents and an updated, jointly owned CJP that clarifies community priorities.
