Environmental Justice and Just Transition in Appalachia скачать в хорошем качестве

Environmental Justice and Just Transition in Appalachia

This panel will explore the myriad impacts facing communities across Appalachia, rooted in the region’s long history in fossil fuel energy production including coal, oil, methane gas, and more. These extractive industries have left communities falling behind in numerous quantitative ways – higher rates of poverty, lower wages, lower life expectancy, higher unemployment. With a long history of labor and community organizing, the people of Appalachia know how to come together to achieve the changes they need. Now with unprecedented federal resources, community leaders are seeking to take advantage of the moment to achieve a just and equitable transition for Appalachia. But even in this current era of more financial resources, the same struggles for basic access to clean water and clean water remain. The four panelists will share environmental justice and just transition work that is happening across VA, WV, PA and OH to address that harmful legacy of coal, oil, and gas. advance community-led campaigns and projects that build economic resilience and shared prosperity. Brad will share about his work in a community that has been under a boil water advisory for nearly a decade. Marcia will share about her efforts to amplify black voices and dismantle the colonized narrative of Appalachia. Taysha will speak to her organizing work rebuilding environmental health and economic prosperity and addressing social justice in the Virginia coalfields. Annie will share about her work to build coalitions around environmental justice leaders and take the voices of impacted people and scientists to policymakers. Speakers will share about the specific environmental justice issues affecting the state they live in and organize in. They will discuss how community organizers are working in rural areas to build community resilience, and how Appalachian communities are dealing with the decline of the coal industry and building new, sustainable, equitable economies.