A Letter from the Dean
David Ackerly. Photo by Mathew Burciaga.
It’s well established that some communities are suffering greater impacts from the climate crisis than others. People of color, low-income neighborhoods, and fence-line communities near pollution sites or in other vulnerable locations are disproportionately harmed, not only by the effects of climate change itself, but by some of the current approaches to fight it.
These disparate effects on marginalized groups contribute to what is known as the climate gap. There is an urgent need to address these mounting social, economic, and health inequities that are created or compounded by climate change, economic injustice, and the enduring legacies of racism.
This issue of Breakthroughs highlights researchers in our community who are tackling these issues head on. Using collaborative, multidisciplinary, and community-engaged approaches, they are advancing environmental justice and climate equity initiatives around the world.
We feature faculty working to ensure an equitable green transition in the US; uncovering the impacts of rare earth metal mining in Tanzania; advising the federal government on how best to direct funds earmarked for vulnerable communities; and many others. We profile just a few of the many College alums who have devoted their careers to improving justice and welfare for others. And we showcase research from some of the outstanding students who have been supported by the Katherine S. and James K. Lau Graduate Fellowship in Climate Equity, which was established at Rausser College in 2021.
We cannot successfully confront climate change without recognizing its intersection with racism, inequality, and environmental injustice. Likewise, we can’t confront inequality and discrimination without considering the climate crisis. Our collective global well-being depends on alleviating the climate gap by centering these issues in research and policy decision-making. We hope you are inspired by these stories and will consider supporting our work.
Breakthroughs magazine is published twice per year by Rausser College of Natural Resources at the University of California, Berkeley.
Masthead
Dean
David D. Ackerly
Editor
Julie Gipple
Associate Editor
Mathew Burciaga
Creative Director
Arnaud Ghelfi
Copy Editor
Laura Deck
Contributing Writers
Mathew Burciaga
Janet Byron
Caroline Champlin
Julie Gipple
Kara Manke
Kristin Baird Rattini
Magaly Santos
Contributing Photographers
Mathew Burciaga
Contributing Illustrator
Daniella Ferretti
Design & Production
l’atelier starno
www.starno.com
Online Director
Joseph Bunik
Online Production
Biviana Herrera and
Magaly Santos
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Contact us at breakthroughs@berkeley.edu.