Our planet is in imminent danger as global warming leads to rising sea levels, extreme heat, prolonged drought, more intense storms and wildfires and devastating floods. When the impacts of these changes are layered on a foundation of historic racial segregation, climate change exacerbates systems of inequality in the U.S. “Climate gentrification,” heat islands and extreme weather events disproportionately harm members of protected classes under the federal Fair Housing Act. These climate-related conditions and the economic upheaval they bring on impact communities of color first and worse, yet public policy around this issue has not provided workable solutions that will enable us to build more resilient – and also more equitable – communities.

Climate change and climate justice are not isolated issues; instead they require truly intentional and inclusive approaches to coalition-building and policy-making. If we ever expect to provide justice and equity for our communities, we must build cross-movement alliances and recognize climate justice as an intersectional civil rights issue.

In this session, panelists will examine climate change through a civil rights lens to demonstrate the need for collective action between practitioners of fair housing and climate justice.