The City of Cleveland is using our Greenlink Equity Map (GEM) to overlay racial composition with energy burden in neighborhoods across Cleveland.
Using the GEM mapping tool, they were able to identify the top 100 majority-black communities in Cleveland experiencing the worst energy burden, while only 1 majority white community fell within the top third experiencing energy burden.
With this information, they targeted organizations and neighborhoods to take part in clean energy community surveys in order to drive Cleveland's Clean and Equitable Energy Future Plan. View the full plan here.
The City has also been working together with Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Cleveland Tree Coalition on a project related to energy burden, tree planing, and urban heat island in the City of Cleveland. The 2020 Cleveland Tree Plan update recommends a strategic and equitable neighborhood based tree planting strategy based on a vulnerability index. Using GEM data, they have been able to strategically design tree planting programs across the city in communities with heavy utility burdens and disparities.
For more information on how Cleveland Neighborhood Progress is using GEM, contact Divya Sidhar at DSridhar@clevelandnp.org .
Photo by DJ Johnson