Understanding Climate Justice

This Week’s Reason for Hope

Biden Using Defense Production Act to Help Boost Battery Production

Incentives for companies to develop domestic supply chain

Focused on raw materials needed for lithium-ion batteries

• Lithium
• Nickel

Currently only one operational lithium mine in U.S. in NV

Intended to help increase production of batteries for EVs and batteries needed to address variability of wind and solar

Sources

Biden Invokes Defense Production Act to Boost Renewables - Inside Climate News

Climate change: Wind and solar reach milestone as demand surges - BBC News

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Climate Justice

2016 Dirt on Diesel Report - Oregon Environmental Council 

Found ten lowest income and highest minority census block groups experience more exposure to all sources of air toxics than the average block group

In Multnomah County, census tracts with higher than average Black/African American, Asian/ Pacific Islander and/or Latino residents have two to three times more exposure to diesel particulate matter than census tracts with 90% or more non-Latino white populations

Heat Islands

Lower income areas in cities that have higher percentage of minority populations experience temperatures 5 - 12° F hotter than higher income neighborhoods

Results from fewer trees, parks and more asphalt that retains heat

Federal Actions

2021 EPA report, “Climate Change & Social Vulnerability  in the United States” focused on trying to quantify differences in how races will be impacted by climate change

White House Justice 40 initiative - President Biden has promised to deliver at least 40 percent of the overall benefits from Federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities

Sources

2016 Dirt on Diesel Report

Portland Heat Islands & Housing Discrimination - Oregonian

Nationwide study on Heat Islands

EPA Report Shows Disproportionate Impacts of Climate Change on Socially Vulnerable Populations in the United States | US EPA

The Path to Achieving Justice40 | The White House

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