Join us on Tuesday, September 22 at 5:30-7:30pm at D’Abate Elementary School (60 Kossuth St, Providence, RI 02909) for our next community convening about the Climate Justice Plan update! We will have food, simultaneous Spanish interpretation and childcare available. The purpose of this convening is for us to report back about what we’ve been hearing so far, what our next steps are and to continue the conversation about moving towards an equitable and just climate future in Providence. Register here and please contact us at sustainpvd@providenceri.gov if you have any questions, comments or concerns!
The Climate Justice Plan (CJP) is a vision and roadmap for creating a more equitable, low carbon and climate resilient Providence. The plan is informed directly by the experiences of frontline residents- our historically marginalized communities that experience the most immediate and worst impacts of climate change and pollution. The plan sets forth concrete carbon-reduction targets in buildings and transportation sectors while promoting clean energy sources. This means addressing the systemic changes that are needed in governance structures, our economic system and the overall health of our communities to ensure a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
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.
The REJC and the City of Providence co-hosted the Climate Justice Plan Update Kick-Off in June at Elmwood Community Center. We had around 50 people join us! We had fruitful conversations about the progress we’ve made so far, areas that are highest priority for residents, and how we should be planning for upcoming engagement. Several themes that rose to the surface were concerns about extreme heat, residents’ desire for more transparency and accessibility (a publicly accessible dashboard tracking City progress towards Climate Justice Plan strategies, for example), and concerns about coordination between local, state, and federal government to implement existing plans. Thank you to everyone who joined us and we look forward to connecting with you again!
Take our Climate Justice Plan Update Community Survey in English or Spanish! Your responses will help the City of Providence and Racial and Environmental Justice Committee (REJC) update the Climate Justice Plan.
