For the last two years, Carbon180 has worked with a dynamic and diverse cohort of leaders from different environmental justice (EJ) groups as part of our regranting work. By forming a co-learning relationship with the EJ groups, we’ve gained a better understanding of how their constituencies feel about carbon removal happening near them. We also forged a stronger grasp on the CDR-specific knowledge that communities need to fully participate in conversations about any potential projects or policies. Now, we are excited to share that three leaders from our first cohort of grantee organizations have joined Carbon180’s updated Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
This council was founded on the belief that principles of equity and justice must be at the foundation of carbon removal deployment, to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities. The Environmental Justice Advisory Council will be an important partner for Carbon180 as we prioritize the needs and voices of communities where projects are being deployed or proposed.
What is the EJ Advisory Council?
The Environmental Justice Advisory Council will help shape Carbon180’s version of a carbon removal field that is anchored in environmental justice. Their primary mission is twofold. First, they’ll provide recommendations to Carbon180 on how to best integrate environmental justice into policy work. Second, they’ll identify opportunities for Carbon180 to amplify EJ within the existing carbon removal landscape (e.g., addressing gaps in how developers and policymakers currently approach community engagement). The council will help inform our work around the following objectives.
- Equitable deployment: ensuring the fair distribution of carbon removal projects to prevent disproportionate deployment in already burdened communities.
- Community engagement: facilitating meaningful participation in decision-making processes related to carbon removal technologies and pathways.
- Policy advocacy: working with policymakers to develop and implement regulations that prioritize environmental justice in carbon removal initiatives.
Who is on the EJ Advisory Council?
LaTricea Adams: LaTricea, a Memphis native, is the founder, CEO, and president of Young, Gifted & Green, a national environmental justice and civil rights organization. Adams previously served as a K-12 public educator and district administrator for 16 years. She is the youngest African American woman appointed to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, where she co-chairs both the Environmental Justice Executive Order and Carbon Management Working Groups.
Elizabeth Holloway: Liz leads the ecological restoration of former mine lands in Appalachia with Appalachian Voices. Her work centers community vision, participation, benefits, and land access in nature-based carbon removal. She holds a master’s degree and a BA in environmental studies from York University and the University of Ottawa. She spent ten seasons ‘in the bush’ leading reforestation projects and planting trees by hand in Canada. Liz loves to make art, make jokes, and work out.
Alex Spike: As climate justice coordinator at Air Alliance Houston, it is Spike’s responsibility to amplify the connections between air quality, climate change, and environmental justice by coordinating community-based campaigns that educate and empower communities to take action for their health. Spike comes to Air Alliance Houston with a background in air pollution meteorology. In their free time, Spike can be found walking his retired racing greyhound.
What’s ahead for the council?
As the council settles into its work, members will meet with other EJ advocates, outside of Carbon180’s network, who have a relevant connection to carbon removal. And as our regranting effort expands, they’ll also serve as a throughline between cohorts, helping us stay connected with previous classes of grantees. In partnership with council members, we intend to create space at the intersection of carbon removal and EJ that encourages honest feedback, concerns, and guidance — all of which will be critical as we continue to align and define our own approach to environmental justice.
In Carbon180’s view, the establishment of this council is not merely a policy initiative but a moral imperative — a commitment to leaving no community behind in our collective efforts to combat climate change. By centering the voices of community members, we can pave the way for a more just and sustainable CDR field.
Edited by Tracy Yu. Cover image by Achira22.
