Reducing group-based disparities in climate adaptation

Our five-year project aims to reduce profound ethnic and racial group-based disparities in the capacity to adapt to the changing climate. We will study the proximate and distal causes of such disparities, and we will work with partners in nine coastal cities around the globe to identify and implement politically feasible solutions. Our team combines expertise in political science, aerospace engineering, urban planning, and design. We will gather high-resolution data to measure the distribution of climate-related burdens and resiliency through satellites, a custom mobile app, and natural language processing of social media. Additionally, we will help design and test communication campaigns that provide accurate information about risks and remediation opportunities framed in ways to garner broad support. We will facilitate student participation through collaborative projects with the MIT International Science and Technology Initiative (MISTI).