Webinar Recap: Equitable Green Infrastructure in a Changing Climate
This webinar was presented by the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN) in July 2024 as part of a 10-part series focused on the financial, managerial, and technical aspects of green infrastructure.
EFCN research scientist Shannon Pepper speaks with Dany Garcia Moreno, Climate Resilience Planner at Anthropocene Alliance, and Carson Risner, Senior Research Analyst at Earth Economics on real-world applications and the benefits of equitable green infrastructure (GI) in fostering climate resilience.
Key Themes and Insights
1. What is Green Infrastructure?
Green infrastructure involves the use of nature-inspired systems to manage stormwater. Examples include rain gardens, permeable pavement, urban forests and green roofs. These systems provide many co-benefits, such as reducing urban heat island effect, improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity.
2. Emphasizing Equity
Vulnerable communities — often lower-income or historically marginalized populations — face greater climate risks. These include flooding, heatwaves and poor air quality. Equitable green infrastructure projects aim to address these disparities by:
- Improving Access: Ensuring those at most risk have access to green spaces and GI benefits.
- Reducing Burden: Designing projects that do not inadvertently displace residents or exacerbate financial burdens.
- Prioritizing Co-Benefits: Leveraging GI to improve public health, economic opportunities and community cohesion.
3. Inviting the Community to Lead
Meaningful community engagement is critical for equitable GI planning and implementation. This involves:
- Active Participation: Bringing in community voices into the early planning stages. This allows for projects to address local needs and challenges.
- Building Trust: Establishing long-term relationships with community stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Capacity Building: Empowering communities with knowledge and tools. With added capacity and access to resources, communities can manage and maintain their own GI systems.
4. Economic, Environmental and Public Health Benefits
Research has shown that GI investments can lead to significant returns. Some examples include:
- Lower costs for stormwater management compared to traditional gray infrastructure.
- Reduced public health costs through improved air quality and reduced heat-related illnesses.
- Economic uplift through job creation in GI construction and maintenance.
5. Challenges in Implementation
Common barriers to equitable GI implementation include:
- Funding Gaps: Initial construction and long-term maintenance need sustained investment.
- Policy Alignment: Integrate GI projects into broader urban planning frameworks.
- Technical Expertise: Build capacity among local stakeholders to design and install GI solutions.
6. Organizations Who Are Leading the Way
The webinar speakers shared how their organizations are successfully advancing equitable GI initiatives by tackling the above-mentioned challenges in implementation.
- Anthropocene Alliance (A2): A2 provides technical and organizing expertise, grant writing support and a platform for sharing ideas and experience. By facilitating access to these resources as well as funding, A2 supports communities in implementing sustainable solutions that address both environmental and social vulnerabilities.
- Earth Economics: Earth Economics helps communities and policymakers understand the value of investing in GI through their data-driven analyses. Their data demonstrates how GI can offer cost-effective solutions for stormwater management, improve public health, and stimulate local economies, thereby promoting equitable development.
Conclusion: Actionable Takeaways
The session concludes with practical recommendations for policymakers, practitioners and communities:
- Start Small, then Scale Up: Begin with pilot projects to show feasibility and build momentum.
- Work Together: Partner with community groups, businesses and schools to share resources and knowledge.
- Speak Up for Fair Policies: Push for local and regional rules that prioritize equity in GI projects.
When designed and implemented through an equity lens, green infrastructure can help build climate-resilient and inclusive communities that thrive.
To learn more, view the full recording.
This blog was originally published on efcnetwork.org on January 21, 2025
Author: Aya O’Connor, Director of Marketing at Greenprint Partners
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