Investing For Equity: Using an Environmental Justice Approach to Guide Transportation & Climate Investments

Transportation systems are crucial for the social and 
economic wellbeing of our society and our 
communities, and they are also major sources of 
environmental burden and inequity. The transportation 
sector is now the single largest source of climate-change 
inducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the U.S., and it is 
a major source of noxious and toxic pollution that 
directly degrades the health and safety of people, 
especially the most vulnerable amongst us. This study 
analyzed the distribution of transportation-related 
burdens (e.g., pollution) and benefits (e.g., transit access) 
across the six New England states and the relationship 
of these burdens and benefits to priority populations. 
The goal is to provide guidance on policy 
recommendations for transportation investments that 
promote social and environmental equity and mitigate 
or prevent disparities and inequities in access to benefits 
and exposure to burdens.