Document Type

Research Report

Publication Date

9-2023

Keywords

Climate Justice, Climate Resilience, Transient Populations, Cross-sector collaboration

Disciplines

Environmental Studies | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Sociology | Urban Studies and Planning

Abstract

In the Northeast U.S., climate change impacts are predicted to increase and intensify unless global carbon emissions are reduced enough to mitigate impacts on local municipalities. As a result, thousands of people in Massachusetts are vulnerable to dynamic and extreme weather conditions, including temperature fuctuations and precipitation patterns, particularly those who are socially, politically, or economically marginalized. While decision-makers in Boston and Cape Cod municipalities must consider diverse stakeholder needs, one population is notably missing from most climate resilience efforts: people experiencing transience due to housing insecurity. Within the Commonwealth, there are two transient populations who are among the most climate-vulnerable: people experiencing homelessness and international seasonal H-2b workers. Both groups are vulnerable due in part to housing insecurity, poverty, and regular exposure to climate change and related weather impacts. To date though, very little data on their environmental exposure and experiences have been collected. To address this, a team of social and environmental scientists at the University of Massachusetts Boston conducted qualitative and quantitative data analysis, a survey, and interviews. While quantitative data represented the entire Commonwealth, survey responses and interviews specifically represented two regions where people experience transience and climate change impacts: the city of Boston and Barnstable County (Cape Cod). Research goals included learning what climate change impacts and weather conditions transient people in coastal Massachusetts are exposed to, how municipal social and environmental sectors engage, prioritize, and respond to these populations' climate and weather-related needs, and if there are cross-sector collaborations.

Community Engaged/Serving

Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage

Publisher

Sustainable Solutions Lab

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