There is a growing recognition that there is both a moral obligation and a practical need to center equity in climate work. Leading cities are recognizing that community support for significant municipal investments in emissions reduction depend on designing strategies that simultaneously reduce emissions and deliver on the pressing quality-of-life benefits that community members prioritize — health, safety, job creation, equitable access to services and resilience to disruptions.

This article discusses the imperative to move to a more collaborative and people-centered model of climate planning (and governance more broadly).