Center for American Progress

RELEASE: CAP Report on Building Climate Resilient Midwestern Cities Shows Innovative Ways Localities Are Improving Equity in a Changing Climate
Press Release

RELEASE: CAP Report on Building Climate Resilient Midwestern Cities Shows Innovative Ways Localities Are Improving Equity in a Changing Climate

Washington, D.C. — As global temperatures rise, cities in the Great Lakes region are adjusting to a new normal of more frequent and intense storms, heavy downpours, heat waves, and cold snaps. By far the hardest hit by extreme weather are those people in the region’s low-income communities and communities of color. The Center for American Progress has released a report analyzing steps that several Midwestern cities are taking to improve social equity and climate change resilience in these communities.

The report consists of several case studies that look at the cities of Cleveland; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Chicago; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Toledo, Ohio, and the successful strategies they are implementing in order to confront the inequities and economic instability historically found in low-income communities that are exacerbated by the extreme weather related to climate change.

“The Midwest is the heartland of America, but disparities run deep in the region, and extreme weather due to climate change has made the inequities for many people in low-income communities across the region even more acute,” said Cathleen Kelly, CAP Senior Fellow and co-author of the report. “The financial burden on cash-strapped cities that are struggling to modernize their infrastructure is daunting, but many localities have found innovative ways to stem the effects of climate change, especially among the most vulnerable communities.”

The report is released in conjunction with an all-day summit on April 20 on building equitable and resilient cities in a changing climate hosted by CAP, the city of Cleveland, and Cleveland State University. The summit features Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson (D), White House Council on Environmental Quality Managing Director Christy Goldfuss, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Regional Administrator Antonio Riley, and city sustainability and resilience leaders from throughout the region.

The report and the upcoming summit look at the innovative strategies that each city is implementing. The report also offers recommendations for policymakers to ensure a safe, healthy, and prosperous future for all residents in the region.

Click here to read the report.
Click here to watch the summit live stream.

For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.