Philly Climate Works is a coalition of community and labor groups in Philadelphia working to prioritize impacted people in climate response. We believe that climate solutions must serve and be shaped by impacted groups, such as low-income communities and working families. The City of Philadelphia must combat climate change by justly investing in its workforce and its impacted communities.
Our Values
The rights of workers are essential and non-neogtiable to a just and a green economy.
Communities will face the trauma of climate change-induced disasters in different ways and extents and our city's response needs to be better positioned and prepared to address climate-related emergencies, ranging from flooding to health epidemics.
Black, Brown, immigrant, and low-income communities are the most vulnerable to the insecurities of energy, food, water, air, housing, and land, all of which climate change exacerbates.
Those faced with the greatest burdens must be positioned to lead and have the chance to shape how Philly adapts, mitigates, and responds to climate change.
To craft the right solutions, the public, small business, and academia must invest and cultivate the skills, expertise, and ideas of leaders in our communities and workforce.
Our government must address social and economic inequalities through bold and strategic actions if we want to achieve healthy, strong, and viable communities today and a livable city for future generations tomorrow.
Our Platform
- Buildings Upgrading our buildings across the city to reduce energy waste, improve indoor health and safety, and prepare for damages induced by climate change.
- Energy Developing our grid to reduce gas line leaks, make renewables more accessible, lower utility bills, and create power owned at a community level (i.e. solar parking lots).
- Transit Improving our transit system to be more reliable, more accessible, and less dependent on fossil fuels, and promoting other modes of transportation like walking and bicycling
- Waste Reducing our waste stream and finding cleaner, safer, more efficient ways to collect garbage and reduce litter on our streets
- Land Use Fixing up vacant lots across the city to be safer, cleaner, and healthier spaces, and opening opportunities for the lots to be used for recreation, gardening and agriculture
- Health Boosting hospital resiliency and preparedness for a rise in climate-related health risks, and enhancing the quality of food, water, and air across the city
- Education Introducing climate justice education in schools and creating more training opportunities for jobs that lower carbon emissions and protect communities from climate risks