Pursuing a just transition with Climate Justice Alliance, Ep #52

Addressing climate change is not just about eliminating emissions and removing as much carbon from the atmosphere as possible. It's also about people – how their lives, livelihoods, and communities are disrupted by climate impacts as well as by investments in climate solutions. It’s an issue of equity. Pollution and climate-induced extreme weather are disproportionately felt by people of color and low-income communities. And, historically, large-scale investments in new industries have often disproportionately benefited wealthy people with privileged access. 

This is where the environmental and climate justice movement comes in. It's a movement that's grown in numbers, strength, and sophistication in recent years. It’s won hard-fought advocacy battles at all levels of government and has also influenced how stakeholders from all sectors think, talk about, and pursue climate action. 

At the center of this movement is the organization Climate Justice Alliance, a coalition of nearly 100 grassroots organizations, working to create what's called a Just Transition. In this interview, I’m joined by Marion Gee, Co-Executive Director of the Climate Justice Alliance, for a truly informative conversation on the state of the climate justice movement, the principles of a just transition, the role and strategies of the Climate Justice Alliance, and much more. Listen to this one with an open mind, give some thought to how equity issues show up in your work, and enjoy.

In today’s episode, we cover:

• [3:53] The just transition movement, its history & the role Climate Justice Alliance is playing to support it
• [6:40] About Marion & how she got involved in this work
• [8:15] The core principle of equitably redistributing resources & power
• [10:53] What does a regenerative economy look like
• [12:47] Climate Justice Alliance’s member organizations & how they work together
• [14:21] How Climate Justice Alliance is creating more collaboration & why community-based organizations are important
• [16:35] Climate Justice Alliance’s six strategies
• [22:20] Move the Money: How it’s going & what should we expect to see in the future
• [24:37] The influx of interest & support for climate action in recent years
• [30:57] Unpacking the term technofix
• [33:07] The Inflation Reduction Act: Excitement, concerns & challenges
• [36:04] Exciting policy efforts & new programs
• [38:13] Things that must happen in the next few years to achieve a just transition
• [39:41] How can listeners help

Resources Mentioned

• Climate Justice Alliance
• Justice40 Initiative
• White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
• Bezos Earth Fund
• Detroit Black Food Security Network - Detroit Food Commons
• The Inflation Reduction Act
• Community to Community
• Numa’lo Refillery

Connect with Marion Gee

• Connect with Marion on LinkedIn

Connect with Jason Rissman

• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter

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