Local climate solutions are the way forward

It’s hot in Philly. Blisteringly hot. The city declared an emergency last week as temperatures inched toward 100. As airplane runways melt in England and the wildfires rage across Europe, it’s impossible not to connect the dots between extreme heat and climate change.

At the national level, though, we seem to be making a blunder.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to restrict the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Congress, blocked by Sen. Joe Manchin, is unable to make progress in addressing climate change.

But all is not lost. The bipartisan infrastructure law, now in effect, can be a vehicle for investing in climate solutions in Pennsylvania. And while national and global challenges garner much attention, this is the moment for locally-led climate solutions that multiply the impact of federal resources.

We can marshal the once-in-a-generation resources available under the $1.2 trillion bill toward climate mitigation — which includes $55 billion for water, $47 billion for resiliency, $65 billion for power and grid, $65 billion for broadband, and $15 billion for electric vehicles. This investment is projected to translate to 700,000 new jobs in manufacturing, construction, and transportation nationwide.

If we invest this funding in climate mitigation, it’s possible to reset the trajectory of climate change.

Pennsylvania can become a model for implementing climate solutions at the state and local levels. State officials can lead the way by building resiliency into the economy and improving the livelihoods of all citizens, especially those who live in its poorest and most vulnerable communities.

The math is simple and undeniable — the transition toward clean energy will create sustainable, well-paid jobs in this new sector that — like it or not — is only going to grow in demand.

The Pennsylvania Constitution affirms: The prudent management of “public natural resources [that] are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come.” However, communities with less wealth rarely have the capacity to compete for federal resources. They will need direct assistance to ensure that funding does not hemorrhage — as is so often the case — to those who already have the resources to develop and submit proposals that score highest among federal grant evaluators.

Recognizing the urgent need for a platform that unites the needs and expectations of diverse groups to advance a shared interest in mitigating environmental degradation, my colleagues and I at Drexel University and the Academy of Natural Sciences established the Environmental Collaboratory — a project bringing together academic research, civic engagement, and community building.

» READ MORE: What Philadelphia can learn from Harrisburg on funding environmental protections

A significant hurdle to locally driven codesigned solutions is the capacity of community-based organizations. To address this need, the Environmental Collaboratory will deliver technical assistance, identify best practices, and analyze climate impacts in partnership with other universities and experts.

This fall the collaboratory will work with Philadelphia residents who have identified a climate challenge faced by their community, and then fund projects to analyze and develop solutions together.

The Supreme Court’s decision and congressional inaction certainly stymied the advance of climate mitigation initiatives on a more national level, but an alternative way forward remains hidden in plain sight. We must address climate change at the local level if we are to create a healthier environment, economy, and stronger society for all, including generations yet to come.

Mathy Vathanaraj Stanislaus is vice provost, the inaugural executive director of the Environmental Collaboratory at Drexel University, and a former senior Obama administration official, who served as U.S. Senate-confirmed Environmental Protection Agency assistant administrator from 2009-2017.