How a South Carolina faith leader and a California congressman are fighting for environmental justice

From California to South Carolina, and across the globe, we are all bearing witness to the catastrophic impacts of the climate crisis. Unprecedented fires, devastating hurricanes, polluted air, debilitating droughts, and rising sea levels paint a bleak picture. As the climate crisis escalates, so does the importance of having a strong collective response.  

Preserving our planet and public health requires swift and effective mobilization on every level — local, state and national. One of us has taken a grassroots approach, organizing communities in South Carolina, and tackling the climate crisis from a faith-based perspective. The other is working on critical pieces on climate legislation from the Inflation Reduction Act to the Green New Deal for Health as a California congressman and former chair of the House Oversight Subcommittee on the Environment. 

In October, we will come together for the Creating a Climate for Change Conference, hosted by the Rev. Leo Woodberry in the city of his congregation — Florence, S.C., with a keynote address from Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). The annual conference brings together key stakeholders, citizens and policymakers to discuss the best climate solutions that will ensure a sustainable and equitable future for all. 

The conference started in 2009 as a way to combat the effects of climate change in communities throughout South Carolina, which has been severely impacted by climate change. Each year, it becomes more important, and the messages delivered become more urgent. 

Rising sea levels and unprecedented weather events threaten coastal communities and farmers. Charleston could see up to 180 flood events per year by 2045, a stark leap from the 11 incidents recorded annually in the early 2000s. The grave reality of a global 8-inch sea-level rise over the last 100 years is no longer an abstract concept but a daily challenge. Conference participants will discuss actionable steps that individuals and their communities can take to stay safe, as well as consider long-term plans for a more just and resilient future.  

For climate activism to truly address the challenges of climate change, it is imperative that justice becomes the core principle at every level. The impacts of climate change disproportionately affect marginalized communities, exacerbating systemic racial inequalities. Decades of historic segregation have resulted in Black Americans and people of color residing in areas that are more susceptible to floods and in proximity to power plants, petrochemical factories, and other sources of pollution. Alarming research reveals that more than 1 million Black Americans face a “cancer risk above EPA’s level of concern” due to unclean air. In order to safeguard our climate, the movement must be all-encompassing, leaving no American behind. 

In South Carolina, activism is already having a meaningful impact on people’s daily lives. In the past few years, the Kingdom Living Temple in Partnership with New Alpha CDC (Community Development Corporation) installed solar hydropanels to turn moisture from the air into drinking water, and distributed climate disaster relief kits to mitigate the harms of unforeseen weather events. At its urging, Pee Dee Electric, an electric utility, built a new solar farm that provides reliable and affordable power to residents. The Sierra Club came to 19 cities in the South to spread the word about environmental justice. In South Carolina, people are joining the fight for a more climate-resilient future.  

Local action is critical, but to fully address this existential threat and protect our nation, we also need action at the highest levels of government. Last year, the House Oversight Subcommittee on the Environment brought Big Oil companies — including Chevron, Exxon and Shell — to testify before Congress. The companies have been actively contributing to the climate crisis for years, but they have no intention of changing these harmful policies or contributing in any real way to the climate movement. They are prioritizing their profits over the future of humanity.  

It’s time for Congress to take decisive climate action that puts justice first. We can start by passing comprehensive climate legislation, including the Green New Deal, which proposes a 10-year national mobilization to address climate change and economic inequality simultaneously. 

The Green New Deal is more than just an environmental policy; it is a blueprint for an equitable, and sustainable society. It proposes investing in clean energy infrastructure, creating high-quality jobs, and ensuring communities disproportionately affected by climate change are prioritized in this transition.  

Roundtable conversations that draw from all corners of the community are a great start. But achieving environmental justice will require all of us — from faith leaders to elected officials and everyone in between — to keep the momentum going all year long.

Ro Khanna is a U.S. representative from California’s 17th District. The Rev. Leo Woodberry is an environmental justice advocate and host of the Creating a Climate for Change Conference.