While all communities can be at risk from environmental stressors, communities of color, often located in areas with concentrated poverty and cumulated socioeconomic disadvantage are typically the most at risk. And while these impacts are typically apparent simply by sight, one tool used by organizers is scientific evidence which can be used to shape public policy. PERE’s contribution through research has been threefold: (1) analyzing government environmental databases to determine localized impact, (2) collaborating with community organizations to check the data with the facts on the ground and to make policy recommendations, and (3) convening community organizers, researchers, and funders - especially in the area of climate justice - to advance the field, together. Our partners have included: Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), Liberty Hill, the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA), the Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), research partners from Occidental College and UC Berkeley, and others.
Projects in this research area:
