Equity Defined
Moving into a future with the goal of sustainability, it is imperative that the transition towards sustainable practices be founded in principles of justice and equity. Equity is often grouped with equality, but it is important to first note the distinction between the two: with both working towards the goal of justice, equality simply means that everyone is given equal treatment, while equity recognizes that “not everyone needs the same kind or amount of support” (Moore 2022). Equity also allows for redress of past inequalities. By acknowledging the systems and structures of power in our societies that leave marginalized groups at a disproportionate disadvantage, a future of justice can be achieved through the equitable means of giving the right amount of support to those who need it the most. Moore et al. (2022) describe four principles of equity:
- Procedural equity – “development and implementation of actions that are transparent, fair, and inclusive.”
- Distributional equity – “a distribution of resources where communities experiencing the greatest inequalities are prioritized before anyone else.”
- Structural equity – “defines and uproots long-term embedded systems and structures that are founded on and perpetuate inequalities.”
- Intergenerational equity – passing on principles of equity from generation to generation so that everyone “holds the Earth in common.”
A common theme among citizens of capitalist countries has been to ignore the reality of unjust treatment of others and the environment for their own material benefit. This is one reason progress toward an equitable society has stalled. In order to achieve equity, collective collaboration toward changing the culture to follow these principles is vital.
Environmental Justice
A key piece of the transition to an equitable and sustainable future is the environmental justice movement. Founded on principles of equity, the movement seeks to solve environmental problems with the end goal of just outcomes. This looks different from the traditional environmental movement. It forces people to take into account the disparate effects climate change and other environmental issues may have on certain parts of the population (i.e. ecological distribution conflicts). The movement started in the 1980s when people began to complain about the disproportionate dumping of toxic materials into Black and low-income neighborhoods. Slowly the movement has grown in scope and momentum. This movement is inherently connected to sustainability efforts. It challenges societies to establish robust environmental management systems that lead to equitable outcomes. One main concern of the movement is the ways in which a transition to renewable energy may have negative effects on low-wage laborers in productive (specifically mining) sectors and on people in the Global South, where many of the minerals needed for renewable energy are found.
Just Transition
A just transition is the process of an equitable shift from an “extractive economy to a regenerative economy” with an emphasis on providing support for marginalized communities that are at the greatest vulnerability to this shift (Climate Justice Alliance, 2023:1).
https://climatejusticealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CJA_JustTransition_highres.pdf.
Moving away from an extractive economy towards a regenerative economy involves shifting modes of production to use practices and technologies that are self-sustaining instead of taking from the store of Earth’s finite resources. This shift is necessary because if we are to continue forward with the extractive economy that is currently in place, then it will simply be a race to see if the destruction of the environment that comes from burning fossil fuels and using other finite resources will lead to the end of humanity before we use up the last of our resources. To prevent this from happening, a regenerative economy involves generating resources at a rate equal to or faster than it is consumed. Although the idea of a just transition is most often associated with renewable energy, it expands to include “food, buildings, and mobility” (United Nations, 2020:1). While this shift alone might aid in mitigating climate change, without an emphasis on providing support for those who need it the most, this effort will only serve to benefit the rich and elite who already have the resources to make this transition toward renewable energy and sustainability. The Vermont Climate Council, Just Transition Committee, identifies the most impacted or “frontline” communities in this process of a just transition as those who “are highly exposed to climate risks, such as health impacts, flooding, and extreme temperatures, those who experience oppression and racism, those who bear the brunt of pollution, and those who are more likely to experience a job transition” (Vermont Climate Council, 2021:5).
By properly redistributing resources to benefit all people not simply the wealthy elites this just transition then not only attacks the destructive forces of climate change but also attacks the prevailing inequalities that leave many at a greater risk of the impacts of our climate crisis.
A Just Transition in Middlebury
Looking at the town of Middlebury, there are many efforts to improve systems of renewable energy, but there is no explicit effort declared for a just transition. Currently, the town of Middlebury has set the goal that “emission of carbon dioxide as a result of town operations be reduced by 80% compared to 2018-2019 fiscal year levels, in or before fiscal year 2029-2030” (Town of Middlebury, Vermont, 2021). This goal is important in working toward a greener future; however, comparing it to what a just transition would look like in Middlebury it falls short in various ways. First, the goal of 80% reduction of emissions is not ambitious enough. For a true transition to a regenerative economy, emissions should eventually be reduced by 100%.
So far, according to the most recent “Update on the Town of Middlebury’s Progress in Reducing CO2 Emissions from Town Operations” released in January of 2023 by the town’s Energy Committee, the town has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in the 4 years that this project has been in operation. While this is good progress toward their goal, “making further progress will have to depend [on] reducing [the] use of fossil fuels (gasoline, fuel oil, natural gas, etc),” since almost all of Middlebury’s electricity is now free of greenhouse gas emissions (Energy Committee et al., 2023:3). To achieve this transition of reducing the use of fossil fuels, they present the solutions of heating buildings by electricity and switching to using electric vehicles; however, there has not yet been much progress in making this transition. Their goal also falls short of the intentions of a just transition because it focuses solely on the operations of the town. It does not include any efforts to help Middlebury’s residents reduce their carbon footprint. They do present the idea that the residents of Middlebury should follow in their footsteps to reduce their own carbon footprint by decreasing the energy consumption of their buildings: “Weatherizing your home is one of the better investments you can make in a healthy future (Town of Middlebury, Vermont, n.d.). Although they offer the resources of Heat Squad and Efficiency Vermont for energy audits, financing, and project coordination for this home weatherization, in the lens of a just transition this is still only a start. While weatherizing your home “can cut fuel bills in half” they do not offer any solutions for how residents can transition to electrical heating which would effectively reduce carbon emissions more than just weatherization (Town of Middlebury, Vermont, n.d.).
Shifting the focus to Middlebury’s efforts to create more sustainable and accessible systems of food and mobility, while there are a few organizations working toward this goal, efforts to fully transition to a regenerative economy with regenerative food systems that provide healthy foods to those who need it the most, and accessible zero emissions transportation remain insufficient. Currently, there is no electric public transportation in the town of Middlebury. The Tri-Valley Transit system is the primary form of public transportation around Middlebury. This connects Addison, Orange, and Northern Windsor Counties and does offer free in-town transportation. Vermont offers incentives to buy or replace old cars with new electric vehicles with up to “$1,500 to $4,000 for eligible purchases of new EVs”; however, this is not a solution for low-income residents since buying a new car regardless of the rebate is still unaffordable. For a real just transition, there should first be a focus on transitioning public transportation to be all-electric and making it more accessible to those who cannot afford to buy their own electric vehicles (Drive Electric Vermont, n.d.). While Middlebury’s food systems still fall short of what a just transition would look like there are a few examples of farms and organizations that offer hope towards transitioning all of the town towards being more regenerative. HOPE (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects) Food Shelf and ACORN (Addison County Relocalization Network) are two organizations that are working to “help revitalize the health of our land, our local economy and our local communities so they can provide sustainable sources of food, water, energy, employment, and capital while promoting conservation and a healthy environment” (ACORN’s History, n.d.). While they serve as examples of what regenerative food systems can look like, there need to be more incentives for farmers in the area to transition to more sustainable practices and create programs for distributing food to poor people.
Overall, Middlebury is making great strides toward a more sustainable future. Although the town is not nearly close to undergoing a just transition toward a regenerative economy, the efforts to reduce carbon emissions and transition to completely renewable energy and offer solutions to improve the fossil fuel usage of homes, paired with the few sustainable systems in both food and transportation, offer hope that Middlebury is on the right track. More policies are needed to create solutions that not only work to fight the effects of climate change but also the forces of poverty.
Moore, Elsie. 2022. “Food System Resilience: A Planning Guide for Local Governments.” CLF
Report, (December), 24. https://clf.jhsph.edu/publications/food-system-resilience-planning-guide-local-governments.
Climate Justice Alliance. 2019. “Climate Justice Alliance Just Transition Principles.” Climate Justice Alliance. https://climatejusticealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CJA_JustTransition_highres.pdf.
United Nations. 2020. “The “just transition” in the economic recovery: eradicating poverty within planetary boundaries.” General Assembly. https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N20/259/03/PDF/N2025903.pdf?OpenElement.
Vermont Climate Council. 2021. “GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR A JUST TRANSITION.” State of Vermont: Agency of Administration. https://aoa.vermont.gov/sites/aoa/files/Boards/VCC/Guiding%20Principles%20for%20a%20Just%20Transition%20-%20Final%20Draft%20for%20Approval%208.2021.pdf
Middlebury College. n.d. “100 Percent Renewable Energy.” Middlebury. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://www.middlebury.edu/energy2028/100-percent-renewable-energy.
Town of Middlebury, Vermont. 2021. “Resolution Establishing a Goal for Emissions of Carbon Dioxide associated with Town Operations.” Town of Middlebury Vermont. https://www.townofmiddlebury.org/document_center/Budget%20Documents/Boards%20Commissions/Energy%20Committee/Documents/Town%20of%20Middlebury%20Selectboard%20Resolution%20on%20CO2%20Reduction%20(1).pdf.
Town of Middlebury, Vermont. n.d. “Energy Efficiency.” Town of Middlebury, VT. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://www.townofmiddlebury.org/committees/middlebury_energy_committee_(development)/efficiency_first.php.
Energy Committee, Richard Hopkins, Mike Roy, and Howard Widelitz. 2023. “Update on the Town of Middlebury’s Progress in Reducing CO2 Emissions from Town Operations.” Town of Middlebury, Vermont. https://cms5.revize.com/revize/middlebury/document_center/Boards%20Commissions/Energy%20Committee/2023%20Meeting%20Packets/Update%20on%20the%20Town%20of%20Middlebury%E2%80%99s%20Progress%20in%20Reducing%20CO2%20Emissions%20from%20Town%20Operations%20update.
Drive Electric Vermont. n.d. “Incentives.” Drive Electric Vermont. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://www.driveelectricvt.com/incentives#vehicles.
n.d. Tri-Valley Transit | Formerly ACTR and Stagecoach. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://www.trivalleytransit.org/.
“ACORN’s History.” n.d. acorn vt. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://www.acornvt.org/history.
“Food Shelf — HOPE – Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects.” n.d. HOPE. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://www.hope-vt.org/food-shelf.