Press Release: Leaders Kick-Off Commission to Engage African Americans on Climate Change

July 29, 2008
For More Information Contact: 
Betty Anne Williams, Director of Communications
202-789-3505 or bawilliams@jointcenter.org

Leaders Kick-Off Commission to Engage African Americans on Climate Change

New Poll Shows 81% of African Americans Urge Strong Government Action

Energy Costs, Climate Science Dramatize “Fierce Urgency” for Community

(Washington, DC–July 29, 2008) – Citing deep concerns regarding the impacts of climate change on the African American community, experts on energy and the environment today announced the creation of the Commission to Engage African Americans on Climate Change (CEAC).  The Commission will work with African Americans and others to understand the impacts that climate change will have on their communities, and work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that energy policies are fair to all Americans.

“There is a fierce urgency regarding climate change effects on the African American community,” said Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies President and CEO Ralph B. Everett, who will co-chair the Commission.  “People need to understand what is at stake—our very health and economic well-being.”

“The Joint Center is the perfect partner for this effort,” said Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis, the Commission’s other co-chair.  “The breadth and reach of this new Commission, combined with Joint Center’s analytical credibility and proven success in cultivating social change, will help to ensure that communities of color are fully engaged in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.” 

At a press conference today, the Commission released a new public opinion survey on the views of African Americans on key climate and energy questions—among the findings:

• A majority of African Americans (54 percent) characterize global warming as a major problem with another 24 percent thinking it a moderate problem.
• There is a strong consensus (81 percent) among African Americans that the federal government should take strong action to deal with global warming.
• Seven in ten African American say it is very important that the 2008 candidates for president commit to doing something about global warming and an additional 22 percent believe it somewhat important that such a commitment is made.
• A large majority of African Americans (72 percent) support legislative action that would mandate the U.S. to begin achieving the goals of the Kyoto treaty on climate change.  An even larger majority (81 percent) wants the next president and the U.S. Senate to become active in the negotiations for a new international climate change treaty, and for the U.S. to support the new treaty's provisions.
• A solid majority of African Americans (64 percent) are willing to pay an additional ten dollars per month to fight global warming.  However, only 28 percent were willing to pay an additional 25 dollars per month to fight global warming, and only 14 percent were willing to pay an additional 50 dollars per month.  Responses to this question were, as expected, income-sensitive with lower income respondents expressing less willingness to commit to higher bills, and higher income individuals more willing to commit.
• On balance, while African Americans do not believe dealing with global warming will be cost free, they do believe that not dealing with global warming will be more costly, and that a clean energy economy represents a better future. 

“Addressing climate change must be a priority for all Americans, but it’s especially important for African Americans, who have been and will continue to be one of the most impacted groups.” said U.S. House of Representatives Majority Whip James E. Clyburn.  “On this challenging issue we cannot wait for others to tell us when and how to get involved.  The Joint Center and the distinguished members of this new Commission are doing important work by engaging in the debate.”

The Commission also released a background paper on “Global Warming and African Americans” describing the disproportionate impacts of climate change on Africans Americans, including:

• Urban dwelling:  Because of something known as the “heat island effect,” temperature increases are expected to be more extreme in urban areas, where blacks are more than twice as likely to live than whites. 
• More African Americans will be “fuel-poor” as the demand for energy rises due to higher air-conditioning loads, population growth, and urbanization. African Americans already spend an estimated 25% greater share of their income on energy than the national average, and total spending is rising in the face of increasing gasoline and resource prices. 
• Population displacement: Hurricane Katrina displaced more than 700,000 Americans, and poor African Americans represent a disproportionate percentage of the displaced.  New Orleans’ African American population has fallen to less than 60% of its pre-hurricane levels.
• Heat-related deaths: During the 1995 Chicago heat wave, the African American death rate was 1.5 times the rate for non-Hispanic whites. The correlation between lower air conditioning prevalence in African American households and higher heat-related mortality was noted in a study of heat-related deaths in four major U.S. cities.  African Americans in the cities had half the rate of air conditioning penetration as whites and almost three times the percent increase in deaths.

Members of the Commission include the following:

Ralph B. Everett, Esq., Co-Chair
President and CEO
Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

Beverly Wright, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Dillard University Deep South Center for Environmental Justice

Statements of support were offered by U.S. Senator Barack Obama, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, U.S. House of Representatives Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, Congressional Black Caucus, Black Leadership Forum, Inc., American Association of Blacks in Energy and others.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is one of the nation’s premier research and public policy institutions and the only one whose work focuses exclusively on issues of particular concern to African Americans and other people of color. For more information, go to

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