West Sac Delta

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice (EJ) is a field of study and action that addresses the inequitable distribution of environmental hazards and opportunities, examining its effects on low-income communities, and communities of color. EJ also promotes the inclusion of historically disadvantaged populations in meaningful participation and decision-making about their environment. Using a collaborative research approach, the Center for Regional Change's (CRC) Environmental Justice Research Initiative helps inform public policy, support community self-empowerment, and improve conditions for people who are most affected by environmental harm.

The CRC’s Cumulative Environmental Vulnerability Assessment helped inform the development of California’s CalEnviroscreen that is used to allocate billions of dollars of public investments towards cleaning the environmental in disadvantaged communities such as the San Joaquin Valley and the Coachella Valley. Its research on drinking water access in Disadvantaged Unincorporated Disadvantaged Communities has been used to support the passage of the $1.3 billion Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. And, its policy evaluations of Assembly Bill 617 has helped improve implementation of the state’s efforts to improve air quality and public health in communities beset by toxic air pollution. Learn more about CRC's EJ initiative through our flyer. 

How is UC Davis Working with Communities to Promote Climate Action?

 

What does climate justice action look like? Imagine a world with more trees, green space, community gardens, clean energy, bike lanes, and beautified urban spaces. We are saying yes to cleaner air and water for all and with a special focus on historically disadvantaged communities. We are saying yes to sustainable and equitable development. We are saying yes to uplifting grassroots activist movements and to regenerative agriculture.

Data Scavenger Hunt: Environmental Justice and Health

Data Scavenger Hunt: Environmental Justice and Health

The UC Davis Center for Regional Change (CRC) aims to support youth and adult researchers’ access to and use of data and analyses that may complement their social change efforts—potentially as context, as additive information, and/or as a focus of critique and further development.

The Struggle for Water Justice

The Struggle for Water Justice: Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities in California's San Joaquin Valley

Authors: Jonathan K. London, Amanda Fenci, Sara Watterson, Jennifer Jarin, Alfonso Aranda, Aaron King, Camille Pannu, Phoebe Seaton, Laurel Fireston, Mia Dawson, and Peter Nguyen