How do EPO staff feel about the release of the report?
Roger Caiazza sent me the following email. It speaks for itself.
Object: EPA report shows disproportionate effects of climate change on socially vulnerable populations
EPA report shows disproportionate effects of climate change on vulnerable populations in the United States
WASHINGTON (September 2, 2021) – A new EPA analysis released today shows that the worst damage from climate change is disproportionately affected by underserved communities that are least able to prepare and recover from heat waves, poor air quality, flooding and other impacts. The EPA’s analysis shows that racial and ethnic minority communities are particularly vulnerable to the greatest impacts of climate change. Climate Change and Social Vulnerability in the United States: A Focus on Six Sectors of Impact is one of the most advanced environmental justice studies to date, examining how the projected effects of climate change might be distributed across the American public.
“The effects of climate change we are feeling today, from extreme heat to flooding to severe storms, are likely to get worse, and people who are least able to prepare and cope are disproportionately exposed.” said EPO Administrator Michael S. Regan “This report underscores the urgency of taking just action against climate change. With this level of science and data, we can more effectively focus the EPA’s mission on achieving environmental justice for all. “
The EPA’s new peer-reviewed report shows how four vulnerable populations – defined by income, education, race and ethnicity, and age – may be more exposed to the greatest impacts of climate change. The report quantifies six types of impacts, including the effects on health from changes in air quality and temperature extremes, disruption to weather-exposed workers, and flood hazard to property.
The main findings of the report include:
- That black and African American people for all six of the impacts analyzed in this report are likely to have greater climate change impacts compared to all other demographic groups. For example, with global warming of 2 ° C (3.6 ° F), blacks and African Americans are:
- 34% more likely currently live in areas with the highest projected increase in diagnoses of asthma in children. This rises to 41% below 4 ° C (7.2 ° F) of global warming.
- 40% more likely are currently living in areas with the highest forecast increases in deaths from extreme temperatures. This rises to 59% below 4 ° C of global warming.
- That Hispanics and Latinos have high participation in weather-exposed industries such as construction and agriculture, which are particularly vulnerable to the effects of extreme temperatures. With global warming of 2 ° C (3.6 ° F), Hispanic and Latino individuals are currently 43% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected reductions in work time due to extreme temperatures. In terms of transportation, Hispanics and Latinos are currently about 50% more likely to live in areas with the highest estimated increases in traffic delays due to increased coastal flooding.
This significant study represents an important milestone in understanding the future effects of climate change on various American populations, particularly among resource-rich communities. Due to data and modeling limitations, this study is limited to the adjacent United States. Future work will both improve coverage of other key areas such as Hawaii and Alaska, as well as examine additional sector impacts and social vulnerability measures.
Today’s analysis will help the Biden administration across the federal government continue efforts to advance environmental justice and address the disproportionate effects of climate change on vulnerable communities. During his first few weeks in office, President Biden issued Executive Order 14008 on Combating the Climate Crisis Domestic and Abroad, which established the White House’s First Environmental Justice Advisory Council, the White House Interagency Council on Environmental Justice, and the Justice40 Initiative. With the Justice40 initiative, the federal government is campaigning for the first time in history to ensure that at least 40 percent of investments in climate and clean energy go to disadvantaged communities.
Access the report: https://www.epa.gov/cira/social-vulnerability-report
Information on climate change: https://www.epa.gov/climate-change
Information on environmental justice: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice
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