A Survey of North American City Climate Leaders: The Prospects for Climate Action in the COVID-19 Era
The future of climate action in U.S. cities after COVID-19
By Ardeth Barnhart, Jacquie Ashmore, Alicia Zhang, Cutler Cleveland, Taylor Dudley (Institute for Sustainable Energy, now IGS); Katharine Lusk (Initiative on Cities); Peter Plastrik, John Cleveland (Innovation Network for Communities)
October 2020
The need to rebuild local economies following the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new, urgent challenges for city leaders who are already striving to reverse the impacts of climate change—especially upon vulnerable populations, who disproportionately suffer its effects. To better understand the potential path forward, the COVID & Climate: What’s Next for Cities? research series surveyed city climate leaders across the country about whether the pandemic will increase and accelerate local climate action or postpone it as leaders deal with the immediate impacts COVID-19. (Third report in the three-part series).
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Key Takeaways
- Climate action remains a priority. 65% of respondents said that climate action is an equal priority since the pandemic started, but they are less optimistic that these actions will be implemented in the next 18 months.
- Equity takes center stage but lacks a clear roadmap. Expanding green infrastructure, climate resiliency, and improving equity outcomes are among the highest priority climate actions in the next 18 months. A standard set of definitions and measurement for equity outcomes are needed to guide next steps.
- Supporting public health and mobility increase in importance: The pandemic is shifting conversations from climate change issues to those addressing the immediate needs of the population, with public health being the highest priority.
- Community engagement and communication continue to challenge: Strategies such as integrated planning and integrative decision-making are of greater importance in planning to help bridge the digital divide, although cities are unsure how to most effectively implement these changes.