Organizational Resources and Civic Organizing for Climate Action in Disinvested Regions

• In Event: 20861 - Section on Collective Behavior and Social Movements Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 10: Organizations, Tactics, and Strategies

Abstract

Organizational and civic organizing resources provide critical inputs to communities in need. The skills and knowhow of climate action tend to be concentrated with scientific experts. In order to reach broader segments of the population in terms of access and participation in climate action, climate expertise needs to be shared beyond academic and specialized settings. This study examines the correlates of resource sharing at the micro level of organizational members of a research university located in a disinvested region – the University of California, Merced. We examine the organizational, civic engagement, and ideological elements of individual participation in climate action in environmental justice communities with a large-scale census survey of university members. We find willingness to engage in climate action and climate justice is most prevalent for those having a civic engagement background and identifying with BIPOC communities.

Authors

• Paul D. Almeida, University of California-Merced

• Rasha Naseif, University of California-San Diego

• Isabelle Haddad, UC Merced