Climate of Crisis: How Cities Can Use Climate Action to Close the Equity Gap, Drive Economic Recovery, and Improve Public Health
COVID-19 presents potential social, economic, and climate action benefits
By Cutler Cleveland, Jacqueline Ashmore, Ardeth Barnhart, Taylor Dudley, Matthew Lillie, Alicia Zhang (Institute for Sustainable Energy, now IGS); Katharine Lusk (Initiative on Cities); Peter Plastrik, John Cleveland (Innovation Network for Communities)
September 2020
In response to events of 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a severe recession, a wave of social protest, and the ongoing imperative to respond to climate change, the COVID & Climate: What’s Next for Cities? research series evaluated how city governments can seize the moment by treating climate change with the same urgency and resolve as they did with the pandemic. This approach will prioritize actions that generate simultaneous benefits across health, equity, the economy, and climate. (Second report of the three-part series).
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Key Takeaways
- The transition to a low-carbon, energy-efficient way of life should not be derailed by the pandemic and ensuing recession. There are other forces at work that are likely to maintain, and could substantially strengthen, the momentum behind clean energy and energy efficiency.
- An effective response may require adjustments that break down barriers across departments in government.
- The full complement of benefits from action on climate, health, and economic recovery can come to fruition if decision-making is transparent and inclusive.
- Government officials can lead by strengthening approaches that more deeply involve communities, and by making equity a key organizing principle.
- The pandemic produced a renewed appreciation for green and open spaces in cities. People flocked to parks and plazas for mental, emotional, and physical relief when restrictions were lifted. Cities have an unprecedented opportunity to use this moment to make an investment in green space that will return a range of benefits that can close the equity gap if properly done.
- Similar to the potential for green spaces, experiments with slow and shared streets reveal new potential to rethink the vast amount of space devoted to private vehicle infrastructure. The deep and broad health benefits of walking and biking can reduce the potential health stress presented by pandemics and climate change.