For the past two years, alignment and collaboration among local, state, and federal government officials has spurred unprecedented progress on climate action and social justice. Ambitious state programs and local initiatives, made possible through historic federal investments, will continue to yield tangible impacts to the health and economic well-being of communities for many years to come. The Justice40 Initiative has also outlined a framework and developed a community of practice to ensure that these clean energy and affordable housing investments prioritize disadvantaged communities.
The results of last week’s election mark an end to this relatively brief period, and the next phase of work will look different. The growing number of people and organizations working to address both the climate crisis and the historic inequities in our communities will need to find new paths forward, which will include defending the progress we’ve already made. But this is not new. For decades, local leaders and advocates have made progress by organizing, advocating, and collaborating for positive change—with, or without federal funding. The pending shift in federal priorities will create an opportunity for cities, states, businesses, and civic organizations to once again lead on climate and social justice. Our efforts to improve buildings for the people in them and around them will remain critical components of a just and sustainable energy transition.
There is broad support for the work we do because efficient, affordable buildings and a resilient energy system benefit everyone. They create value for owners, improve well-being and working conditions for occupants, and create local jobs that can’t be offshored. In addition, buildings—where people spend more than 90% of their time—have an outsized impact on health.
The market preference for healthy, efficient buildings will continue to grow regardless of political shifts, simply because they are better. The mortgage market is beginning to price efficiency into underwriting; the insurance industry increasingly values resilience; and attracting employees back to the office means offering efficient, high-performance spaces.
During this time of rapid, and sometimes abrupt change, we remain committed to advancing our mission and supporting our partners. We will continue to collaborate with building sector stakeholders, government at all levels, nonprofits, and local residents to find solutions. We’re at our best when bridging the priorities of groups who share common goals but have different perspectives, and who may not have worked together previously. This approach builds the strong alliances that support durable social, environmental, and economic change.
I hope you’ll join us in supporting this work so we can build the future we deserve.
