What does an environmentally just climate transition plan look like? At Drexel, it starts with listening — and then working alongside community leaders to co-create solutions to the challenges affecting their neighborhoods.
Leading the effort is the Philadelphia Climate Justice Collective (PCJC) — a coalition of four community-based organizations across the city: Nueva Esperanza Inc. (Esperanza), Mantua Civic Association, Overbrook Environmental Education Center and the Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition (SEAMAAC).
Working with Drexel’s Environmental Collaboratory (TEC) — a university-wide initiative that connects researchers, students and community partners to co-design data-informed, justice-centered environmental solutions — the group published a report late last year filled with neighborhood-specific climate recommendations.
The Philadelphia Climate Justice Collective Report is a blueprint for a more equitable climate future driven by community needs. Drexel provided funding, technical expertise and student, faculty and consulting support.
“It is intended to guide a just climate transition by addressing systemic barriers, promoting resilience and elevating community leadership.”
The report tackles urban challenges like heat islands, air quality and aging infrastructure, while building community leadership to drive local change. Each group designed its own approach to gathering feedback and setting priorities, ensuring the work reflects real community needs from the ground up.
One recommendation from the report has already gained traction: a public-facing Climate and Environmental Accountability Dashboard to track local environmental health and government action. The idea received a $500,000 boost from the Environmental Justice Data Fund of Google.org to build out the dashboard as a community-owned advocacy tool.
Students and faculty at Drexel have also used the report to advance environmental justice research and develop policy briefs. Through student research, the Environmental Collaboratory is finalizing a memo that identifies policy gaps related to heat and advocates for policy makers to adapt a “right to cooling” framework.
Above all: the group hopes this report will advance and inform projects that intend to produce environmentally just results to the Philadelphia community. DM
