Bezos Earth Fund and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Unveil Groundbreaking Report on Climate and Economic Justice Tools

Today, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published “Constructing Valid Geospatial Tools for Environmental Justice,” supported by the Bezos Earth Fund and developed by the Committee on Utilizing Advanced Environmental Health and Geospatial Data and Technologies to Inform Community Investment. Dr. Cecilia Martinez, Chief of the Environmental and Climate Justice at the Bezos Earth Fund, said the following:

“In 2019, President Biden's Executive Order 14008 set an ambitious goal: to direct 40% of federal investments to the most vulnerable communities. Today, we take a significant step toward supporting that goal with the release of a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine report on how to advance geospatial analyses of environmental justice.  This report, with the support of the Bezos Earth Fund, assesses how to integrate complex data and lived experiences to accurately identify disadvantaged communities. It provides timely recommendations on the continued development of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool developed by the Council on Environmental Quality.

The report provides important recommendations on advancing rigorous, structured processes for constructing composite indicators that measure climate and economic risks. With the advancement of geospatial tools, a more comprehensive and detailed analysis of factors such as environmental hazards, racial and economic disparities, and access to critical infrastructure to inform decision-making. They empower policymakers, advocates, and communities to make informed decisions that address environmental and economic inequalities head-on.

As we celebrate this launch, the Bezos Earth Fund reaffirms our commitment to advancing climate and environmental justice, and we invite all partners to read this report to build a more just and equitable future for all.”