Blacks Must Lead On Climate Change

Posted by Sonja Ebron

Black people in the U.S. have a lot to lose from the twin crises of energy decline and climate change. These are global catastrophes that will soon cause massive changes in our lives. We can expect everything from utilities to common household goods to become much more expensive, and new regulations will make everyday activities more difficult. Increases in epidemics and natural disasters will make health insurance and mobility far more important. Our tough economic circumstances and lower access to information will make it harder to adapt to these changes.

A new report from the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative (EJCC) shows that Black people will be disproportionately affected in the areas of “illness, heat deaths, economic loss, and the cost of wars designed to protect the flow of oil to the U.S.” The report recommends a Climate Asset Plan that includes fees, taxes, or allowance auctions paid by polluters; new investments in energy efficiency; income support, energy assistance, and energy-efficiency programs for low-income households; taxes for new investments in schools and other high-value public institutions; and job-loss prevention measures for workers in energy-intensive industries. Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC) echoed the report’s findings by announcing a new Commission to Engage African Americans on Climate Change that will address these disparities.

These crises will affect everyone. Americans use more energy and create more pollution than anyone else on the planet, so the necessary changes will be hardest on those of us in the U.S. “Living large” is a basic component of American culture. A recent National Public Radio story on our addiction to cars argues that the adjustments required to address climate change will not come easy. With props to Barack Obama, a change in culture is the change we need.

There is hope in the coming madness. Yo, whassup, 24/7… that’s bad, that’s cool, that’s phat… jazz, blues, R&B, hip hop… backwards baseball caps, saggy baggy pants, stretch belts, hoodies… these are just a few of our cultural creations adopted by the mainstream. Minister Farrakhan once said, “If we can lead them in foolishness, we can lead them in anything.” If, indeed, the most needed change is cultural, then Black people need to step up to the plate. We can and must lead on climate change.

Black people have a long and proud history of adapting to difficult times. The list of innovations we’ve created to thrive in impossible circumstances is too long for this page. Changing our light bulbs and sealing our homes are just the first of many steps. We need new ways to get healthy food, to travel, to care for sick infants and elders, and to make money. And we need to start now. There are elements of our culture that can help us live sustainably. Wouldn’t it be extraordinary if the mainstream adopted not language, music and clothes from us, but sustainable lifestyles?