Like many cities across the U.S., Oakland has a long history with environmental justice, the idea that environmental benefits and burdens should be shared fairly among all people. Over the years, the city has taken steps to become more sustainable, seeking to adopt a holistic approach toward achieving climate equity.
Policies such as redlining—an illegal practice where banks and other institutions refused financial services to customers based on race or ethnicity—concentrated lower-income people of color in less favorable neighborhoods. These areas were often targeted sites for industrial and freeway development due to being perceived as “less desirable” and lacking the political power to halt the projects. As a result, residents of formerly redlined communities today—including those in Oakland—often face increased levels of air pollution, exposure to toxic substances, and extreme heat compared to other neighborhoods.
Oakland has adopted various measures to reduce public health and environmental disparities in the city. One step has been to engage in environmental covenants like the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Signed by 197 nations, the agreement aims to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change and global temperature rise. On a more local level, Oakland has committed to limiting local greenhouse gas emissions to 80 to 95 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, which is projected to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
To address this gap, Oakland has created a series of plans that center, protect, and prioritize communities that are most impacted by climate change. One notable example is the Racial Equity Impact Assessment and Implementation Guide, which includes guidance on how to implement Oakland’s sustainability goals while supporting racial equity. Oakland has taken action to become a more sustainable and equitable city, and it is important that these new plans and policies have a tangible impact on the community.
Cover image credit: City of Oakland
