Climate Equity

The Ecology Center’s Climate Equity work ensures that community leadership directly shapes climate planning and policy outcomes.

About the program

Advancing Climate Equity Through Frontline Community Leadership

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Through a City of Berkeley-funded Climate Equity Pilot (September 2022–August 2025), the Ecology Center partnered with community-based organizations to elevate the voices of those most impacted by climate change—including Black, Indigenous, Latino/Hispanic, Asian, and other communities of color; people with disabilities; elders; and families. This work brought together community leaders, 18 partner community organizations, and residents to identify priorities, share lived experience, and co-develop solutions.

A key outcome of this pilot was the creation of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), a lasting structure that embeds community voice into city decision-making.

With a grant from the City of Berkeley Climate Equity Pilot Fund, the Ecology Center embarked on a three year pilot (September 2022–August 2025) that brought together community-based organizations and ambassadors to identify the needs and priorities for climate change equity and resilience within communities that face marginalization.

A key outcome of this pilot was the creation of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), a lasting structure that embeds community voice into city decision-making. Through an equitable, community-centered engagement process, the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) partnered with the City of Berkeley to help shape the draft Environmental Justice and Safety Elements of the General Plan. By bringing the lived experiences of communities most impacted by climate change into the planning process, the CAC helped identify priorities, strengthen proposed policies, and ensure the City’s long-term climate resilience strategies reflect community needs. Today, the CAC continues to guide major planning efforts, strengthening accountability between government and residents.

Since 2022, this work has expanded access to climate education, resources, and resilience strategies. In 2025, we engaged over 423 community members in collecting input through surveys, participatory mapping, interviews, vision board making, roadshow presentations, and meetings.

You can read the full report here: Ecology Center Climate Equity Pilot Fund Report

Also available is a Summary of the Ecology Center Climate Equity Pilot Fund Report