About 5,000 San Diego-area residents were impacted by the historic downpour last January that led to dramatic flooding.
Extreme flooding events are becoming more common as the climate warms. But some residents impacted by the disaster insist there is another force that exacerbated the flooding: Decades of government neglect and indifference toward San Diego’s lower income neighborhoods.
When inclement weather results in a state of emergency, survivors live in constant fear and uncertainty.
It is critical that legislators understand the myriad impacts of domestic violence and natural disasters driven by climate change, so that they can fund and implement more impactful ways to prevent both.
Columbia Journalism Investigations in partnership with the Center for Public Integrity and Type Investigations spent a year digging into the growing need for climate relocation across the United States.
Little organized government assistance exists for preventing the loss of homes and lives before a disaster, the investigation revealed — and there is no comprehensive focus on helping people escape untenable situations.
Climate change is a growing threat to people with disabilities. Not only is the weather getting hotter, but Californians are facing more frequent wildfires, poor air quality, evacuations and power outages. These events are particularly difficult to navigate for people with complex medical conditions and those who care for them.
Yet, researchers and policymakers have historically overlooked this vulnerable population when it comes to emergency planning.
L.A.’s Green New Deal would strive to dramatically reduce environmental pollution in some of the city’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods, and stimulate the creation of green jobs and infrastructure through a $100 million, 10-year program.