Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Environmental and climate justice principles envision a world in which everyone has equal access to healthy, clean environments and is able to participate in the environmental and climate decisions that impact them. These principles are foundational to the CASC network’s mission, and are central to our partnership-driven, actionable science model.
Urban and suburban ecosystems are home to 80% of the US population and provide a variety of natural and cultural resources. The USGS studies how human-dominated ecosystems can protect communities from climate change impacts, as well as how they contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of residents, including underserved communities.
Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other Indigenous peoples and communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The CASCs are working with Tribes and Indigenous communities to better understand their specific vulnerabilities to climate change and to help them adapt to these impacts.
The CASCs offer early-career research opportunities to students from across the Nation. These inclusive programs empower traditionally underrepresented groups and help students make their research applicable to on-the-ground climate challenges.
The environment we live in has significant impacts on our health, our happiness, and our livelihoods. Changes in the environment, from shifting habitats to sea level rise, can have a variety of impacts on nearby communities and ecosystems – positive and negative, big and small. For example, heat waves that only register as a bump in electricity bills to some people can be deadly to those without air conditioning, and are made worse when urban tree canopies have been removed. Decisions regarding research priorities can impact the availability of data and information that communities need to document impacts from hazards and make adaptation decisions.
The consequences of environmental change are not distributed equally.
Where habitats are restored, where pollution is dumped, and who has access to assistance are all inextricably linked to issues of power and class. Similarly, climate change affects communities in different ways. Communities that are closely tied to their landscapes, such as subsistence communities, and other under-resourced populations are often the least responsible for, but most vulnerable to, negative climate change impacts. Research that supports climate change adaptation efforts involves considering the ethics of engaging with the populations most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which are often low-income communities, communities of color, Indigenous and Tribal communities, those already overburdened by environmental injustices, those who lack economic or social opportunity, and people facing disenfranchisement.
Environmental justice is working towards a better future, where everyone enjoys:
Within USGS, the vision for environmental justice focuses on delivering actionable science to inform equitable, data-driven decisions inclusive of all populations.
Climate justice acknowledges the unequal burden of climate change and understands that climate change poses risks to people’s basic human rights, including their rights to clean water, air, and ecosystems. Climate justice is working towards a future where:
Environmental and climate justice principles are currently being integrated throughout the federal government, from the White House down to individual agencies. The work at the CASCs predates this mandate, but has been aligned with these ongoing initiatives.
“Each federal agency shall make achieving environmental justice part of its mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionate high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations.” (EO 12898)
Environmental and climate justice principles are critical to the mission of the USGS and the CASC network. USGS has defined environmental justice as: delivering actionable science to inform equitable, data-driven decisions inclusive of all populations. We strive to make our work inclusive of and useful for all people, particularly underserved communities. We recognize that this is an ongoing process and will continue to be a work in progress. We are committed to adhering to best practices to ensure that our research is conducted in a respectful manner that equitably benefits communities and resource managers.
We are actively seeking to incorporate justice principles into our research projects by:
A key element in this work is developing mutual understanding and trust between scientists and communities. Yet, particularly for communities who have been historically mistreated by the government and the scientific establishment, this can take months or even years. The CASCs value relationship building as an integral part of the scientific process, and specifically fund these efforts as part of traditional research activities.
The Marshallese have a long tradition of agroforestry, where food-producing trees such as coconuts, breadfruit, and pandanus are interplanted with bananas and root and vegetable crops. However, climate change is forcing Marshall Islands communities to alter their planting and harvest practices.
Researchers from the Pacific Islands CASC created a living website that provides actionable farming information displayed in a dashboard format. Users can find information in both English and Marshallese about relevant factors such as rainfall, winds, and sea level at seasonal time scales as well as agricultural calendars based on El Niño/ La Niña.
Fire has always been a part of life in southern California. But climate change and current fire management practices have led to catastrophic losses and impacts to human health, infrastructure and ecosystems in recent years.
This project centers the voices of Chumash people by revitalizing their good relationship with fire in Chumash homelands. The project will enable the recovery and documenting of Chumash knowledge related to cultural burns and will train and equip Chumash fire stewards. This foundation will support a future in which Chumash voices lead the revitalization of fire in their homelands, and where cultural burns are routinely used to reduce damaging fire.
Learn more about science supporting climate and environmental justice across the USGS.
The Diverse Knowledge Systems for Climate Adaptation Fellowship supports graduate students for one year as they use their diverse experiences, viewpoints, value systems, and cultural knowledge to strengthen their climate adaptation efforts.
Risk research and applications follow key principles focused on upholding and supporting the USGS responsibility to address Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). The USGS Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (DEO) is responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and enforcing authorities that embed DEIA across USGS as a Bureau-wide effort.
The USGS Open Innovation (OI) Community welcomes anyone interested in using participatory science and innovation methods like Crowdsourcing, Citizen Science, and Prize Competitions to obtain ideas, data, services, and solutions from the public and organizations in an open way.
In November 2022, the White House Office of Science and Policy released guidance on how Federal agencies can ethically acknowledge and incorporate Indigenous Knowledges (IK) into science, management, and decision making.
In November 2022, the White House Office of Science and Policy released guidance on how Federal agencies can ethically acknowledge and incorporate Indigenous Knowledges (IK) into science, management, and decision making.
As the leader of the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, Mari-Vaughn Johnson brings USGS science to communities in the Pacific Islands, her ohana, to help address the unique climate challenges in their region.
As the leader of the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, Mari-Vaughn Johnson brings USGS science to communities in the Pacific Islands, her ohana, to help address the unique climate challenges in their region.
Tribes have been actively engaged in efforts to anticipate and respond to climate impacts on their natural and cultural resources.
Tribes have been actively engaged in efforts to anticipate and respond to climate impacts on their natural and cultural resources.
Early Friday morning of June 11, the Little Missouri River in Southwest Arkansas experienced a deadly flash flood, with waters that rose over 20 feet in just 5 hours.
Early Friday morning of June 11, the Little Missouri River in Southwest Arkansas experienced a deadly flash flood, with waters that rose over 20 feet in just 5 hours.
Environmental and climate justice principles envision a world in which everyone has equal access to healthy, clean environments and is able to participate in the environmental and climate decisions that impact them. These principles are foundational to the CASC network’s mission, and are central to our partnership-driven, actionable science model.
Urban and suburban ecosystems are home to 80% of the US population and provide a variety of natural and cultural resources. The USGS studies how human-dominated ecosystems can protect communities from climate change impacts, as well as how they contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of residents, including underserved communities.
Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other Indigenous peoples and communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The CASCs are working with Tribes and Indigenous communities to better understand their specific vulnerabilities to climate change and to help them adapt to these impacts.
The CASCs offer early-career research opportunities to students from across the Nation. These inclusive programs empower traditionally underrepresented groups and help students make their research applicable to on-the-ground climate challenges.
The environment we live in has significant impacts on our health, our happiness, and our livelihoods. Changes in the environment, from shifting habitats to sea level rise, can have a variety of impacts on nearby communities and ecosystems – positive and negative, big and small. For example, heat waves that only register as a bump in electricity bills to some people can be deadly to those without air conditioning, and are made worse when urban tree canopies have been removed. Decisions regarding research priorities can impact the availability of data and information that communities need to document impacts from hazards and make adaptation decisions.
The consequences of environmental change are not distributed equally.
Where habitats are restored, where pollution is dumped, and who has access to assistance are all inextricably linked to issues of power and class. Similarly, climate change affects communities in different ways. Communities that are closely tied to their landscapes, such as subsistence communities, and other under-resourced populations are often the least responsible for, but most vulnerable to, negative climate change impacts. Research that supports climate change adaptation efforts involves considering the ethics of engaging with the populations most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which are often low-income communities, communities of color, Indigenous and Tribal communities, those already overburdened by environmental injustices, those who lack economic or social opportunity, and people facing disenfranchisement.
Environmental justice is working towards a better future, where everyone enjoys:
Within USGS, the vision for environmental justice focuses on delivering actionable science to inform equitable, data-driven decisions inclusive of all populations.
Climate justice acknowledges the unequal burden of climate change and understands that climate change poses risks to people’s basic human rights, including their rights to clean water, air, and ecosystems. Climate justice is working towards a future where:
Environmental and climate justice principles are currently being integrated throughout the federal government, from the White House down to individual agencies. The work at the CASCs predates this mandate, but has been aligned with these ongoing initiatives.
“Each federal agency shall make achieving environmental justice part of its mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionate high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations.” (EO 12898)
Environmental and climate justice principles are critical to the mission of the USGS and the CASC network. USGS has defined environmental justice as: delivering actionable science to inform equitable, data-driven decisions inclusive of all populations. We strive to make our work inclusive of and useful for all people, particularly underserved communities. We recognize that this is an ongoing process and will continue to be a work in progress. We are committed to adhering to best practices to ensure that our research is conducted in a respectful manner that equitably benefits communities and resource managers.
We are actively seeking to incorporate justice principles into our research projects by:
A key element in this work is developing mutual understanding and trust between scientists and communities. Yet, particularly for communities who have been historically mistreated by the government and the scientific establishment, this can take months or even years. The CASCs value relationship building as an integral part of the scientific process, and specifically fund these efforts as part of traditional research activities.
The Marshallese have a long tradition of agroforestry, where food-producing trees such as coconuts, breadfruit, and pandanus are interplanted with bananas and root and vegetable crops. However, climate change is forcing Marshall Islands communities to alter their planting and harvest practices.
Researchers from the Pacific Islands CASC created a living website that provides actionable farming information displayed in a dashboard format. Users can find information in both English and Marshallese about relevant factors such as rainfall, winds, and sea level at seasonal time scales as well as agricultural calendars based on El Niño/ La Niña.
Fire has always been a part of life in southern California. But climate change and current fire management practices have led to catastrophic losses and impacts to human health, infrastructure and ecosystems in recent years.
This project centers the voices of Chumash people by revitalizing their good relationship with fire in Chumash homelands. The project will enable the recovery and documenting of Chumash knowledge related to cultural burns and will train and equip Chumash fire stewards. This foundation will support a future in which Chumash voices lead the revitalization of fire in their homelands, and where cultural burns are routinely used to reduce damaging fire.
Learn more about science supporting climate and environmental justice across the USGS.
The Diverse Knowledge Systems for Climate Adaptation Fellowship supports graduate students for one year as they use their diverse experiences, viewpoints, value systems, and cultural knowledge to strengthen their climate adaptation efforts.
Risk research and applications follow key principles focused on upholding and supporting the USGS responsibility to address Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). The USGS Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (DEO) is responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and enforcing authorities that embed DEIA across USGS as a Bureau-wide effort.
The USGS Open Innovation (OI) Community welcomes anyone interested in using participatory science and innovation methods like Crowdsourcing, Citizen Science, and Prize Competitions to obtain ideas, data, services, and solutions from the public and organizations in an open way.
In November 2022, the White House Office of Science and Policy released guidance on how Federal agencies can ethically acknowledge and incorporate Indigenous Knowledges (IK) into science, management, and decision making.
In November 2022, the White House Office of Science and Policy released guidance on how Federal agencies can ethically acknowledge and incorporate Indigenous Knowledges (IK) into science, management, and decision making.
As the leader of the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, Mari-Vaughn Johnson brings USGS science to communities in the Pacific Islands, her ohana, to help address the unique climate challenges in their region.
As the leader of the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, Mari-Vaughn Johnson brings USGS science to communities in the Pacific Islands, her ohana, to help address the unique climate challenges in their region.
Tribes have been actively engaged in efforts to anticipate and respond to climate impacts on their natural and cultural resources.
Tribes have been actively engaged in efforts to anticipate and respond to climate impacts on their natural and cultural resources.
Early Friday morning of June 11, the Little Missouri River in Southwest Arkansas experienced a deadly flash flood, with waters that rose over 20 feet in just 5 hours.
Early Friday morning of June 11, the Little Missouri River in Southwest Arkansas experienced a deadly flash flood, with waters that rose over 20 feet in just 5 hours.
