NJ Spotlight published the following article on 7/7/2014. To read the full article, click here.

Climate Change May Hit Urban Poor the Hardest, According to New Report

Tom Johnson | July 7, 2014

Lower-income and minority communities are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of climate change, which should make protecting them a societal priority, according to a recent report.

The report, by the New Jersey Climate Change Alliance, focused on so-called environmental justice communities — areas especially burdened with pollution, particularly for people of color, and its impact during and after Hurricane Sandy.

The extreme weather left residents of these communities, as elsewhere, without power and with disrupted communications. But it also drove up rents due to limited housing, among other problems. The storm surge also raised concerns about increased exposure to toxins, according to the report.

The overriding recommendation of the report, one of a series done by the alliance focusing on how the state should adapt to changes caused by climate change, includes specific emergency and preparedness plans for environmental justice communities.

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