Constructing Decarbonization Coverage Should Heart Housing and Well being Fairness

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new situation temporary launched [last week] from NRDC (Pure Sources Protection Council) highlights how racist practices create insufficient housing high quality for at-risk communities and what may be completed to deal with this inside constructing decarbonization coverage. The temporary was created in collaboration with the Constructing Power, Fairness, and Energy (BEEP) Coalition.

“If we fail to deal with the well being disparities obvious in our housing insurance policies then we danger lacking out on the chance to advance housing justice alongside local weather justice,” mentioned Dr. Sabrina Johnson, Senior Advocate at NRDC and co-author of the problem temporary. “Designing strong constructing insurance policies that handle affordability and well being, and that embody group engagement, will considerably enhance public well being, with low revenue and communities of coloration lastly seeing a justifiable share of the advantages.”

“Insufficient housing high quality not solely results in greater vitality payments but additionally well being impacts like bronchial asthma and respiratory sicknesses, publicity to excessive temperatures, and detrimental psychological well being results,” mentioned Dr. Catherine Connolly, fellow at NRDC and Columbia College and co-author of the problem temporary. “Constructing decarbonization dangers perpetuating these well being disparities if applications should not designed and applied equitably.”

“Growing equitable constructing decarbonization insurance policies and applications in collaboration with environmental justice and community-based organizations is essential to rectifying historic housing injustices, fostering public well being, and decreasing greenhouse emissions. Investing in equitable constructing decarbonization is an funding within the sustainability and resilience of environmental justice communities throughout the state,” mentioned Edgar Barrazza, Power Fairness Coverage Coordinator at Physicians for Social Accountability-Los Angeles and co-author of the problem temporary.

The temporary, Wholesome, Local weather-Resilient Houses for All: Centering Housing Justice and Well being Fairness in Constructing Decarbonization, outlines how present constructing decarbonization insurance policies and applications usually don’t combine well being or handle the racist insurance policies and practices that contribute to housing and wealth disparities. The temporary finds that by integrating well being and housing fairness into electrification and constructing decarbonization insurance policies, communities can advance housing justice in tandem with reaching local weather targets.

For extra on this subject, please see this weblog from NRDC’s Dr. Catherine Connolly and this weblog co-authored by NRDC’s Olivia Walker and Physicians for Social Accountability-Los Angeles’s Edgar Barrazza.

Initially printed on the NRDC Professional Weblog.