The City of St. Louis Park sustainability division has launched a new tool where residents can explore demographic, climate and energy data within the city.

The goal of the climate equity map is to help City of St. Louis Park staff consider the impacts of environmental justice in their work. Staff will use the map to customize city programs to benefit those particularly vulnerable to climate change and to identify areas where climate-related emergencies may have a more severe impact.

Climate change affects some in the community more than others, especially young children, seniors and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residents, as well as people living in homes that lack efficient heating or cooling, to name a few factors.

Because of historic and systemic racism, including redlining, BIPOC community members are more likely to live in areas that are more susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Historically redlined areas are on average 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer. Homes in these areas also are usually older and less energy efficient. The median energy burden, or the percent of income spent on energy bills, of Black households is much higher nationally than white households.

The city’s Climate Action Plan, a guide to achieving carbon neutrality in the city by 2040, intersects with many environmental justice topics and aims to reduce these inequalities to create a more sustainable, resilient and just community for all.

Learn more and view the climate equity map.