Advocates host forum on disparities in climate change impact

Environmental groups and political leaders will participate in a forum in north Minneapolis Thursday on how climate change can have a disproportionate impact on communities of color.

The event comes on the heels of the National Climate Assessment, which warns certain communities are more vulnerable than others to climate change impacts. Those include extreme weather events like major storms and heat waves. The assessment said children, the elderly, low-income people and communities of color can be disproportionately affected by climate change.

The national group Green for All helped organize the event. Executive Director Nikki Silvestri says disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy proved that communities of color are among those who can suffer disproportionate losses.

"Climate change is not only much worse, but it's affecting vulnerable communities more severely than we initially thought," Silvestri said. "We're talking about making sure that those who are hit first by these cases of extreme weather and those who are hit worst because they didn't have a lot of infrastructure or economic security to begin with, don't get hit the hardest."

Silvestri said vulnerable communities are already aware of the consequences of extreme weather, but she said her group is working to raise awareness about clean energy technology and other ways to reduce carbon emissions.

"This is a phenomenon that we can actually do something about," she said.

Advocates are pushing for more regulations on carbon emissions as well as initiatives that help the most vulnerable cope with extreme weather and other climate change impacts.

Several environmental justice leaders as well as Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn. are scheduled to speak at the event at Kwanzaa Community Church in north Minneapolis.