Climate Action Plan: An Equitable Strategy for a Healthier Future - Charleston, South Carolina

Equity Insights

A community working group, the Climate Action Plan Taskforce, developed the strategy for the plan. Members of the group included grassroots groups, business representatives, faith and spiritual communities, and neighborhoods. This group vetted all the action items with equity and climate justice in mind. Representatives from the City’s Special Commission on Equity, Inclusion, and Racial Conciliation served on the Climate Action Plan Taskforce and vice versa. Some taskforce members also served on the Special Commission’s subcommittee group called Health Disparities and Environmental Justice. Each of the action items in the plan was assessed and evaluated on whether they help to uplift climate equity and reduce disparities. Climate equity is included in the overall Climate Action Plan vision.

Lessons Learned

Community Engagement is Key: The plan's success was largely due to the extensive and inclusive community engagement process that involved diverse stakeholders, ensuring that the plan reflects the needs and priorities of residents.
Co-Benefits of Climate Measures: The plan highlights the numerous co-benefits of climate measures, including cost savings, economic development, public health improvements, and ecosystem protection, demonstrating that climate action can have far-reaching positive impacts.
Prioritizing Existing Infrastructure: The plan recognizes that the most sustainable buildings are those already built, emphasizing the importance of preserving and retrofitting existing infrastructure to reduce embodied carbon.
Addressing Existing Inequities: The plan acknowledges that addressing existing inequities is crucial to ensuring that climate action benefits are shared equitably across the community, particularly in frontline communities.