CALL TO ACTION
URGENCY FOR CHANGE
1. According to NASA, by 2100, extreme storms may increase by 60%
2. According to the ratings agency, Moody, New York City, San Francisco, Oakland, and Phoenix all face high risk due to a mix of extreme heat, sea level rise, and drought
3. Increase in frequency of high intensity storms throughout calendar year
- Impacts of a warming world heighten the impact and intensity of storms such as hurricanes, typhoons, torrential downpours (most recently Ft. Lauderdale received 40% of its annual rainfall in 1 day
4. Coastal erosion – Worsening due to unsustainable development along shores globally and sea level rise
- In the U.S. alone, out of a population of about 333 million, 127 million people live on the coast, over a third of the population according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)
JOB GROWTH
1. Providing workers with the proper toolkits and skillsets will position them well for roles in the space
2. Across industries, construction, agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, finance, and many more, new opportunities will be spawned out of initiatives to cut back on emissions
- Examples: urban farming and other city based initiatives to spur more greenery
- Biden administration allocating $6 billion towards aiding manufacturing firms become less energy intensive and reducing emissions
- Buy clean initiative– Federal program aimed at making construction materials less carbon intensive for government projects
3. Between 2015-2019, green jobs grew 13%, more than double the national average for total job growth, based on data from Columbia University
4. African-Americans make up 13% of labor force but less than 10% of all clean energy related jobs
Bringing the Wheel to Reality
1. Incorporating sustainability solutions and priorities as a part of workforce development programs to engage youth and experienced workers on future skillsets
2. Boosting advocacy and awareness surrounding people’s understanding of local climate change impacts that are likely to occur during their lifetime
3. Maximizing public-private partnerships to aid black businesses in taking strides to become more environmentally conscious and reduce emissions from day-to-day operations where possible