Climate Justice/Justicia Climática
Justice 40RWARD
For the Seattle Toxic Tour, WE ACT partnered with The Duwamish River Community Coalition (DRCC). The Duwamish River Community Coalition represents an alliance of community, tribal, environmental, and small business groups affected by ongoing pollution and cleanup plans for Seattle’s lower Duwamish River. The coalition works to elevate the voice of those impacted by the Duwamish River pollution and other environmental injustices for a clean, healthy, equitable environment for people and wildlife.
Climate Justice is the understanding that we must lead with collective community power and hold decision-makers accountable to eliminate unfair climate impacts on communities like the Duwamish Valley.
The Duwamish Valley’s vulnerability to sea level rise, increasing temperatures and air pollution mean that climate change events will have a great impact on this community than on wealthier and healthier areas in Seattle. DRCC is grow collaborative work to advance climate justice.
Las prácticas que agregan contaminación tóxica en el río Duwamish y el aire impulsan los impactos del cambio climático, como inundaciones, aumento del nivel del mar, aumento de alérgenos, impactos relacionados con la salud mental, así como tormentas extremas y calor que pueden resultar en incendios forestales peligrosos. ¿Qué estamos haciendo al respecto? Estos son los principios de la Plataforma de Justicia Climática.
Already, climate impacts iare creating significant problems in the Duwamish Valley. Yet climate change adaptation planning is just emerging at the community level due to histories of other environmental injustices in the area.
Additionally, the Duwamish Valley is home to five major language communities: Vietnamese, Khmer, Somali, Spanish, and English.
It is crucial that environmental justice and climate adaptation planning engage these communities to promote integrated and holistic environmental benefits.
“We should have the decision-makers support more of the community initiatives and listen to their concerns and act on those concerns
”
photo source: DRCC
Duwamish Valley Clean Air Program
Advocate to end the drivers of climate change to eliminate community susceptibility and disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards.
Air pollutants like diesel, toxics and other greenhouse gases: air pollution and increasing allergies lead to or worsen asthma, respiratory allergies and cardiovascular disease. In addition, residents of Duwamish Valley living in the South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods face higher levels of pollution than other neighborhoods in Seattle because of their close proximity to major trucking routes among additional factors (WA Health Disparities map).
photo source: DRCC
Advocacy For Flooding Relief and Placekeeping
Address sustainable jobs, affordable and fair housing to protect DV communities from air pollution, flooding, heat and related health stressors of climate change.
Rising sea level, storms, floods and extreme precipitation: located in close proximity to the Superfund and Combined Sewer Systems (CSO), such events lead to disproportionate exposure to contaminated floodwaters. It is estimated, 90% of sea level rise by 2100 in the Seattle area will occur in the Duwamish Valley.
Have you heard about our Climate Resilience survey results? Learn more HERE
photo: December 22, 2022 CommuniTea event
Rising Temperatures
Rising Temperatures: extreme heat, lack of green space, canopy cover and severe weather can lead to heat-related illness and death, cardiovascular failure, injuries, and mental health impacts. Learn more from the King County Heat Map.
We continue grow community capacity, youth opportunities, language access and knowledge related to the river, changing climate and environmental issues.
photo: Signing of Senate Bill 5141, the Healthy Environment for All Act (HEAL Act)
Grow Meaningful Involvement and Elevate Community-Decision Making
Elevate Community Decision Making: Support community, government and all decision makers to make decisions together.
Additional Resources:
University of WA Duwamish Valley Resilience Planning - Collaborative work - Read more HERE
Framework for Community-Driven Climate Resilience Planning - Movement Strategy
Accelerating Just Transition in WA State- Climate Justice Strategies from the Frontlines - Front and Centered
Toolkit for Equitable Climate Resilience: Fostering Community-Led Research and Knowledge, River Network
Causes and Effects of Climate Change | National Geographic
The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment, U.S. Global Change Research Program
Intersections of Climate Justice | Created for Minnesota 350 by teachers and learners in Climate Action Workshop at the College of Saint Benedict and St. John’s University as well as Brigid Mark, Alé Gallardo, Jack Pieper, Danee Voss, Corrie Grosse, Leonardo Cumplida, and Elena Lozano
King County Climate Change Graphics in Arabic, English, Samoan, Chinese, and Spanish
Our People, Our Planet, Our Power | Community Led Research in South Seattle, March 16, Puget Sound Sage & Got Green