The Climate Equity Reporting Project is a collaborative effort between Berkeley Journalism and UC Berkeley's Energy & Resources Group.

Check out this Q&A from the third issue of State of Change, a monthly newsletter from the Climate Equity Reporting Project, where a colleague and I chat about a clean transportation just transition for all! *(scroll to the bottom of the newsletter)

Journalist credit: Taylor Barton

The consequences of freight transportation pollution are not experienced equally. Decisionmakers of the past and present are responsible for zoning freight corridors–ports, highways, and warehouse facilities where these vehicles operate—near and through disadvantaged communities. This is the result of historic redlining and harmful legacy planning that allows polluting trucks to negatively impact the health and well-being of low-income folks and communities of color.

In our current reality: People live in redlined neighborhoods close to freight routes and corridors overwhelmed by truck traffic and poor air quality, while their community owned, small businesses compete for space near sprawling logistical freight facilities. Meanwhile, profit hungry companies exploit the very workforce who move America forward. According to the UC Berkeley Labor Center, “[m]ost of the jobs involved in building California’s low-carbon economy are blue-collar jobs that do not require a college degree, in sectors like construction, manufacturing, energy, and transportation. Across the state’s economy, the quality of these jobs varies substantially. Many blue-collar jobs are low-wage, non-union jobs, with inadequate safety and job performance training, subpar or no health and retirement benefits, and limited opportunities for career advancement.”

Understanding the intersection of environmental, social, and economic inequalities people face can help organizations strategically take climate action. But, the reality is that, in the green building and clean energy sectors, there is a lack of diversity at all levels of leadership that has slowed the implementation of policies that most strategically meet climate and equity objectives. However, there are some programs, at a variety of levels, that are working to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in high-performance building and climate-related workplaces.

Electrification is growing in popularity because it has the potential to mitigate health and environmental risks caused by fossil fuel-based power, save consumers money in the long run, and enable better grid-building management during times of peak energy use. It is critical to ensure every member of our society has equal access to, and benefits from, building electrification. Here are some considerations for jurisdictions considering electrification policies.