Elevating Community Voices and Environmental Justice in the Transition to Net Zero

By Hannah Fuller

Environmental justice has come to the forefront of climate initiatives as policymakers seek to create a just transition to net-zero carbon emissions in the U.S. The concept is defined by the EPA as the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, national origin, tribal affiliation, or disability, in decision-making and other activities that affect human health and the environment.

At the latest session of Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action, a webinar series presented by the National Academies, experts discussed the history of environmental justice, current challenges and opportunities for environmental justice work, and the benefits that a just transition to net zero offers to communities.

(left to right) Hilary Tompkins, Paty Romero-Lankao, Michael Méndez

"Environmental justice really gets to that core of who has power, who is making the decisions," said panelist Hilary Tompkins. "It's about how to have your voice heard and actually have it be incorporated into decisions, and what legal structures are around making those decisions."

Tompkins is a partner in the environment practice group at Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C., and served on the Commission on Accelerating Climate Action, a project of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, which also cohosted the Climate Conversation. Tompkins spoke about environmental justice as a critical thread of her work throughout her career, and in particular, her focus on giving voices to tribal communities in the clean energy transition by leveraging existing legal frameworks and working within the private sector to incorporate these perspectives.

The discussion was moderated by Michael Méndez, an assistant professor of urban planning and public policy at the University of California, Irvine, who specializes in climate change, environmental justice, environmental studies, and sustainability. He is also a member of the National Academies' Climate Crossroads Advisory Committee, and served on the study committee that wrote the National Academies' 2023 report Accelerating Decarbonization in the United States: Technology, Policy, and Societal Dimensions.

"I really appreciate the understanding that even before we can engage in solutions for environmental justice or environmental racism or environmental inequities, we have to understand the history and the historic systemic disinvestment in these communities," said Méndez.

The other panelist, Paty Romero-Lankao, is a professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough and served alongside Méndez on the National Academies' "Accelerating Decarbonization" study. Romero-Lankao applies a transdisciplinary lens and community-engagement approach to her research on sustainability transitions, bringing social science perspectives to a field traditionally dominated by the natural sciences and engineering.

When asked about policy changes and policymakers who are seeking to work with communities, Romero-Lankao emphasized the need to slow down, listen, and avoid "quick fix" solutions when engaging with communities. "We need to move with the 'speed of trust,'" she said. "As urgent as climate change is, it is a multidimensional problem that needs to be addressed with an understanding of how people go about risk and risk assessment with so many dimensions to consider. There are political and social dimensions that are often left out of traditional planning by policymakers. Lack of understanding and lack of trust are key impediments to whatever measure you're working on - no matter how well intended."

Tompkins and Romero-Lankao both shared examples of how centering on environmental justice from the start can accelerate implementation of climate-friendly policies because communities have different sources of knowledge and understanding, which is a powerful resource that will lead to more successful policy outcomes. "You need to slow down if you want to be fast," said Romero-Lankao, repurposing a traditional phrase from her home culture in Mexico.

While community listening sessions are a common solution to elevating community voices in scientific research and policymaking, both speakers noted that they had worked with communities that might have been overburdened or disappointed by these sessions. The panelists offered additional ways to bring community leaders and experts to the table from the beginning, treating community members as equal contributors, and valuing their work through compensation.

When leaders seek to implement environmental justice concepts into ongoing work at an organization, it is important to have people who are familiar with the communities that they are working with, so that those individuals can help educate others within the organization about unique cultural or historical aspects, Tompkins explained. Some issues around environmental justice may be complicated, and both speakers reemphasized the importance of not rushing things. "If the goal is to have real, genuine engagement with those communities, it will not happen overnight," said Tompkins.

With a challenge as massive and urgent as climate change, it can feel like we must find solutions as fast as possible, rather than investing the time in engaging with communities that could be part of the solution, Tompkins added. The speakers both emphasized that environmental justice is an essential part of finding some of the best solutions because it shifts the power dynamics and brings all perspectives to the table, instead of leaving communities siloed or left out of decision-making processes.

"Only by working from different fronts will we be able to address this super daunting problem," concluded Romero-Lankao.

Watch the full webinar here.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the participants and do not necessarily represent the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Related Resources

• Accelerating Decarbonization in the United States: Technology, Policy, and Societal Dimensions (interactive report overview)
• Pathways to an Equitable and Just Energy Transition: Principles, Best Practices, and Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement (proceedings of a workshop)
• Forging Climate Solutions: How to Accelerate Action Across America (report by the Commission on Accelerating Climate Action, American Academy of Arts and Sciences)

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