Climate change threatens the health and well-being of all Americans. To build climate resilience, cities are reshaping their economies and infrastructure to transition to renewable energy and withstand climate harms. These benefits are not shared equally, however. Under the status quo, the most underresourced communities and neighborhoods face the greatest climate risks and receive the fewest benefits from clean energy investments.
The Transformative Climate Action in American Cities (TCA) project is helping communities disrupt the climate status quo.
The Urban Institute, in partnership with community and economic development organizations nationwide, is providing data, technical assistance, and network-building opportunities to accelerate transformative climate action.
What Is Transformative Climate Action?
Transformative climate action is an approach to managing climate change that seeks to reduce carbon emissions while helping people adapt, with the goal of ensuring that all people can thrive in a warming world. It emphasizes:
- Understanding and addressing the root causes of vulnerability to climate impacts.
- Prioritizing place-based strategies for climate action that respond to local needs and conditions.
- Empowering residents to join, lead, and benefit from climate change efforts.
- Ensuring that local government can be responsive to climate needs and opportunities.
How We Work
Practical experience and evidence show that the building blocks of strong communities are also the foundations for effective climate action, such as accessible and high-quality jobs, thriving businesses, strong civic institutions, safe and affordable housing, and access to health care. Community and economic development organizations have decades of experience offering these supports to underresourced households and neighborhoods, so they are uniquely positioned to help advance transformative climate action.
We believe that community and economic development organizations, responsive to community needs and aligned with local values, are uniquely positioned to advance transformative climate action in American cities.
We support community and economic development organizations with the data, technical assistance, and learning opportunities they need to advance transformative climate action in their cities and neighborhoods. Read about our work with partners in three midsize cities facing significant climate challenges. To learn more about the TCA Project, email us at [email protected].
This project is funded by the Kresge Foundation. We are grateful to them and to all our funders, who make it possible for Urban to advance its mission. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders. Funders do not determine research findings or the insights and recommendations of Urban experts.
