Sustainability is the collective product of how we live and interact with the environment within our own communities. Lower-income, marginalised communities and communities of colour are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards, degradation, injustice and a changing climate. They are more likely, for example, to breathe in polluted air, live near coal plants and toxic sites.
Investments in sustainability should prioritise the needs of these frontline communities, yet progress towards sustainability and environmental justice goals is mixed across the US. For example, 25% of US households face a high energy burden and two million rural Americans lack access to running water and basic indoor plumbing.
Better data and technology can help close the equity gap in frontline communities by providing local leaders with tools to better inform local planning—including advocating for and monitoring investments in clean energy managing waste, accessing clean water and protecting local ecosystems—to bring about a more sustainable, just and resilient future.
