Climate Justice Initiative Happening Now In April 2020 The Office of Sustainability entered into a contract with Marisol Jiménez of Tepeyac Consulting to develop and conduct listening and learning sessions with Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) leaders and community members. In collaboration with these voices the Office seeks to begin shaping a locally relevant definition of Climate Equity. Following the listening and learning sessions Tepeyac will expand community engagement around climate justice and equity with story circles and a youth photo voice project in collaboration with Word on the Street. The objective of this project is to define Climate Equity with the City’s frontline community members; those most directly affected by climate change impacts identified in the City’s Climate Resilience Assessment. In an effort to identify communities within the city that are exposed to climate risks the City has developed a map, the Climate Justice Data Map, layering different demographics and climate threats. Background In January 2020 Asheville City Council declared a Climate Emergency. Resolution 20-25 states that a Climate Justice Plan be created to consolidate the various separate sustainability goals and department initiatives. The adopted resolution acknowledges the urgent need to combat climate change, the many existing relevant resolutions and goals, and the disproportionate impact of the climate crisis on low income communities and communities of color. The effects of climate change burden those that contribute the least to climate change and yet are those most socially vulnerable to climate threats. Within the resolution the City committed to keeping the concerns of vulnerable communities central to all climate program planning processes and to invite and encourage such communities to actively participate in the development and implementation of the City’s climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. The Climate Justice Initiative seeks to identify and support BIPOC leadership and communities to define Climate Equity within the City of Asheville and inform the direction of climate resilience action. Climate Justice Plan development will help ensure that frontline communities play a central role in the just transformation of the systems that have established, and continue to perpetuate, the unequal burden of climate impacts. Timeline June- August 2020 Individual listening and learning sessions with frontline community members and stakeholders September-October 2020 Analysis and draft summary report from individual interviews. Develop Climate Justice Data Map combining mapping resources to help us understand and visualize climate crisis “hot spots” and intersecting stressors On October 28, 2020 the Sustainability Advisory Committee on Energy and the Environment held a virtual public meeting to engage the community and gather information for establishment of a Climate Justice Plan. The session was live streamed and can be viewed on the city’s public engagement hub HERE. November-December 2020 Interpret and expand Climate Justice Data Map Develop graphic illustration interpretation Engage community members to plan community story circles Establish and launch Youth PhotoVoice project in partnership with Tepeyac Consulting and Word on the Street youth artists 2021 Community report out & next steps: Neighborhood PhotoVoice and project visual installation Determine next steps in partnership with frontline communities Develop Climate Justice story map Convene community story circles in 4 Asheville neighborhoods Neighborhood PhotoVoice finalization and project visual installation Community report out & next steps: Determine next steps in partnership with frontline communities Supporting Documents Resolution 20-25 Climate Emergency Declaration Climate Resilience Assessment Resolution 11-77 Establishing 4% CO2 Reduction Goal Resolution 14-27 Waste Reduction Goal and Benchmarks Resolution 18-279 100% Renewable Energy Goal for Municipal Operations by 2030 Resolution 17-257 Food Policy Action Plan Contact Information Amber Weaver, Sustainability Officer 828-271-6141 Related Services Dispose of large, seasonal or unusual items Information about disposing of large or unusual items such as furniture, household hazardous waste, or appliances. As well as instructions for brush, leaves, or Christmas trees. 3 Services Recycling guidelines Information on what can be recycled, how to prepare items for collection, and composting. 4 Services More Related Services Climate Justice Initiative News Look ahead: City of Asheville projects and initiatives for the new year Posted on January 4, 2021December 30, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Asheville residents can look upon the new year with optimism. Together, we’ve weathered a pandemic and a vaccine will be available this year. Even so, the City of Asheville’s response to COVID-19 will continue in the new year, in coordination with the state of North Carolina and Buncombe County. Residents can look forward to advances in [...] Asheville Mayor joins over 1,000 U.S. leaders in affirming commitment to global climate action on the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement Posted on December 10, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Dec. 12 marks the five-year anniversary of the world coming together to sign on to the Paris Agreement and the City of Asheville is marking the moment by committing to a national mobilization for a clean energy economy and centering their own operations in pursuit of climate action. In doing so, Asheville joins over 1,000 [...] City of Asheville shares energy data from first solar installation Posted on October 26, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville recently “flipped the switch” on its first solar energy production site at the newly renovated ART Transit Station, 49 Coxe Ave. After several weeks of being online, the City is pleased to share energy production data with the community. The real-time information shows power [...] More Climate Justice Initiative News
Look ahead: City of Asheville projects and initiatives for the new year Posted on January 4, 2021December 30, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Asheville residents can look upon the new year with optimism. Together, we’ve weathered a pandemic and a vaccine will be available this year. Even so, the City of Asheville’s response to COVID-19 will continue in the new year, in coordination with the state of North Carolina and Buncombe County. Residents can look forward to advances in [...]
Asheville Mayor joins over 1,000 U.S. leaders in affirming commitment to global climate action on the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement Posted on December 10, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Dec. 12 marks the five-year anniversary of the world coming together to sign on to the Paris Agreement and the City of Asheville is marking the moment by committing to a national mobilization for a clean energy economy and centering their own operations in pursuit of climate action. In doing so, Asheville joins over 1,000 [...]
City of Asheville shares energy data from first solar installation Posted on October 26, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville recently “flipped the switch” on its first solar energy production site at the newly renovated ART Transit Station, 49 Coxe Ave. After several weeks of being online, the City is pleased to share energy production data with the community. The real-time information shows power [...]