Rural Climate Policy Priorities
The intent of this working document is to describe climate change concerns specific to rural communities in the United States and identify...
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To read the full report, click the links above. A summary of key findings from this report include:
- Rural counties have had the highest rates of premature death for many years, lagging far behind other counties. While urban counties continue to show improvement, premature death rates are worsening in rural counties.
- Looking solely at state averages for the factors that influence health masks the significant gaps in health that exist between counties within each state.
- Three new measures are highlighted:
- ... read more
As an organization dedicated to researching climate change vulnerability and rural community development, what are some of the high-level lessons you’ve learned on how rural areas can remain strong and resilient in the face of climate change?
To be honest, our recommendations are not obviously climate relevant, but we nevertheless see them as foundational for progressing with climate resilience and adaptation. Our argument, backed up by research and evidence, is that if communities are already on the back foot with respect to poverty, housing, and especially public health challenges, then climate resilience is... read more
As an organization based in Appalachia, what are some of the unique climate challenges your organization and your region are facing?
Climate change is a key issue in Central Appalachia; the ways the environment intersects with communities in our region are many and varied. Perhaps the most obvious is non-renewable energy development and production, which is tied to greenhouse gas emissions and directly impacts local air quality. U.S. EPA models predict warmer and wetter winters as well as hotter and drier summers. Concentrated precipitation during winter and spring puts the region at risk for... read more
The past few months have been as much about looking ahead as they have been about coping with life in post-election America, a space that feels post-apocalyptic for many. Americans and people across the globe have been processing their emotions, trying to understand a vote that came as a surprise to many, and in some cases pausing to reflect on rural realities seemingly ignored by the Democratic Party. Voting patterns in the election brought to the surface just how little understanding there is between rural and urban... read more