Four ways to advance equity and justice goals in climate action planning


Date:
May 31, 2023
Source:
University of Waterloo
Summary:
Municipal climate action plans often identify equity and justice as
goals, but engagement with these concepts is mostly rhetorical. A
new study details how planners can bridge the gap and challenge
the current state of climate change and social inequity.


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FULL STORY ========================================================================== Municipal climate action plans often identify equity and justice as goals,
but engagement with these concepts is mostly rhetorical. A new study
from the University of Waterloo details how planners can bridge the gap
and challenge the current state of climate change and social inequity.

The study asserts that developing participatory approaches to public consultation and community engagement that actively and intentionally
involve vulnerable populations who are most affected by climate change
is critical.

Expanding the sphere of knowledge we consider when talking about climate
change reshapes the questions that are asked and the possible solutions
and alternatives that are up for discussion.

"The urban governance community is not as explicit as it should be
about the need to prioritize vulnerable residents during decision-making processes about climate change," said Kayleigh Swanson, PhD candidate
in Waterloo's School of Planning. "Consequently, the voices of people experiencing various forms of oppression are largely excluded from
so-called participatory climate action planning processes." In pursuing participatory methods, the study advises practitioners to keep four
actions top of mind: consistently modifying strategies, designing
collaborative spaces that recognize various ways of knowing, addressing
the gap between what is said and what is done, and attending to the
underlying social processes that drive vulnerability to climate change.

"Challenging the status quo is not an easy task, but the evidence
shows that climate actions are more effective if they are designed and implemented with engagement by local actors," said Dr. Mark Seasons,
professor in Waterloo's School of Planning. "Urban governance actors can influence the conditions that determine whether people can participate effectively and help to frame important issues being considered
by decision-makers." Building inclusionary planning processes is a considerable challenge for urban governance actors, but these processes
are necessary to realize equitable distributive outcomes. Exclusion runs
the risk of creating a triple injustice whereby those who contribute
to climate change the least are positioned to suffer the most from its
effects and are disproportionately affected by climate action policies
that exacerbate the social, economic, and environmental challenges the
groups already face.

* RELATED_TOPICS
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========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Waterloo. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Kayleigh Swanson. Centering Equity and Justice in Participatory
Climate
Action Planning: Guidance for Urban Governance Actors. Planning
Theory & Practice, 2023; 1 DOI: 10.1080/14649357.2023.2189288 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230531102013.htm

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