Black Lives Matter Statement from the Georgia Climate Project

June 30, 2020

A statement from the Georgia Climate Project

In order to fully address the generational challenge of climate change, we must acknowledge and address our society’s multi-generational legacy of racial injustice. 

The recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor have painfully reminded us of the systemic racism Black Americans have long endured. We are deeply saddened by their deaths, and the many other Black lives lost before them. Georgia cannot fully prepare for and respond to a changing climate until all of us can live, work, and play without fearing for our basic liberties and lives.  

Climate change does not exist in a vacuum, and we recognize that it impacts many Black communities in Georgia disproportionately. Moving forward, we will actively seek opportunities to focus our core work on the nexus of climate change and racial equity. This includes amplifying the voices of Black leaders, scientists and practitioners confronting climate challenges in the state. We welcome ideas and advice from our partners and friends around the state and beyond as we strive for an environmentally just and sustainable future.