Two years ago the collective of groups including the Southeast Climate and Energy Network (SCEN), Environmental Finance Center West (EFC West), Urban Climate Nexus, Hometown Action, and Exposure Labs were accepted into the NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships Program (CAP) formerly known as Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA), an applied research and community engagement program that expands society's regional capacity to adapt to climate impacts in the United States. The goal of this partnership was to engage with communities facing impacts of climate change in the U.S. South and to serve as a connection point between climate justice communities and government-level decision makers, providing a platform for grassroots organizers and everyday citizens to share their needs around adapting to and fighting against climate change. 

 

In the summer of 2022, the partners traveled to 3 rural towns in the Southeastern US selected as representative towns for the broader Southeast region and conducted workshops and deep listening sessions, collecting feedback about the pressures that the climate crisis is putting on their communities and provide a space for them to advocate for the solutions they know they need. Since the workshops, the team has been distilling all of the information gathered on the ground into a whitepaper to be presented to NOAA along with this video. We’re so honored to have been a part of this project and hope this video can serve as an organizing tool and a testament to the power of community and collaboration.