As cities across the country invest billions of dollars in clean energy and climate infrastructure, a critical question remains largely unanswered: Are these investments working for the people who live closest to these projects?
Researchers from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University received a $1 million grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to launch a first-of-its-kind research initiative to examine how cities can reduce carbon emissions through clean energy investments, while ensuring the communities where these projects are built have a voice in the process and share their benefits.
As cities make major investments in clean energy, understanding who benefits — and who has a say in those decisions — could help communities make the most of the transition while reducing emissions.
The three-year research project, “Decarbonizing the Hood: Conditions, Perceptions, Principles and Evaluation of Equitable Urban Energy Transitions,” brings together researchers, students and community partners to study six urban decarbonization initiatives across Detroit, Chicago, and Columbus.