Our communities, our power: Advancing resistance and resilience in climate change adaptation

The NAACP supports “climate justice,” a term that emerged in the early 2000’s as an extension of the environmental justice movement. The term recognizes that the impact of climate change – increased floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, sea level rise, drought, etc. – affects people who already experience inequity more in other ways, such as African American, low-income and other frontline communities. The NAACP recognizes the injustice of those suffering the most from climate change, as well as those who are left out of climate legislation, and has in turn produced this toolkit to help facilitate equity.  

Through the context of building equity and resilience into climate adaptation planning, the toolkit features 19 modules and introduces strategies to transform communities and, by extension, society. The NAACP ultimately seeks to create lasting and systemic change, but it also recognizes the urgency of the issues marginalized communities face and the need to take action now. In turn, the organization is pursuing change at every scale – from policy changes to community-based projects – to institute the transformative shifts needed to uphold its goals.