Race is the biggest predictor of environmental hazard

Valerie Volcovici’s Reuters article, “U.S. unveils tool to direct green investment to disadvantaged communities,“ describes the Council on Environmental Quality’s recently shared Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. The tool, which will be used as part of the Justice40 initiative to direct at least 40% of benefits from green investments to overburdened communities, does not include indicators for race.

Dr. Wilson’s excerpt from the article:

Sacoby Wilson, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health who helped developed a state-level screening tool for Maryland, said the decision not to use race as an indicator is political. "The science is clear. Race is the biggest predictor of environmental hazard," he told Reuters.