Faculty Research Explores the Challenges and Opportunities of Climate Justice in Campus Climate Action Planning

As climate change continues to accelerate, institutions across sectors are being called to not only reduce emissions but also respond to the unequal burdens that climate change places on different communities. In higher education, universities are developing climate action plans (CAPs) to guide both mitigation and adaptation efforts. A recent article authored by Danielle Endres, Professor of Communication and Director of the Environmental Humanities program; Jessie Chaplain, recent Ph.D. alumna; Brenda Bowen, Professor of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Utah; and Sua Kim, University of Utah alumna and Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of California, Riverside School of Public Policy, explores how justice and equity are—or are not—accounted for in one U.S. university’s climate action plan (CAP).

Titled “Integrating climate justice into climate action planning: a case study of equity-based climate action planning at the University of Utah,” the article engages with a growing body of scholarship that frames climate justice and equity as essential components of climate planning. Climate equity and justice, as discussed in the article, refer to efforts that address the disproportionate impacts of climate change on marginalized communities and seek fairness in both climate policies and decision-making processes.

The study analyzes the CAP of a public U.S. university using a mixed-methods approach, combining textual analysis of the plan with survey data from participants involved in its creation. The analysis centers around three key dimensions drawn from urban climate planning literature: distributional, procedural, and recognitional justice. These pillars serve as a framework for assessing how justice and equity were prioritized in both the process and outcomes of the plan.

The research suggests that despite common challenges, such as limited resources, institutional constraints, and capacity issues, there are meaningful opportunities for universities to incorporate justice considerations into CAP processes. The case study examined in the article revealed a planning process that made efforts to foreground equity, though the analysis also identifies persistent barriers and tensions that may be familiar to other institutions engaging in similar work.

This article adds to a growing conversation about the role of higher education in not just addressing climate change, but in doing so in ways that consider who is most impacted and how decision-making processes unfold.

To read the article in full, click the link below:

Integrating climate justice into climate action planning: a case study of equity-based climate action planning at the University of Utah