“The Big Ship Turns Around Slowly”: An Evaluation of Equity and Justice in Ontario Climate Action Plans

Problem, research strategy, and findingsHere I report the results of an evaluation of climate action plans for three cities in Ontario (Canada). The evaluation was guided by a framework containing criteria for assessing the degree to which climate action plans address distributive, procedural, recognition, and healing justice. The framework was developed through consultations with climate change scholars and representatives from equity-deserving groups. Results suggest there is considerable risk that equity-deserving groups will be left behind in the transition to more climate-friendly communities. Findings are based on empirical evidence from the plan evaluation and qualitative evidence from interviews with representatives from equity-deserving groups in the case study cities.Takeaway for practiceI offer recommendations for how planners and other urban actors can integrate equity considerations into municipal climate action planning. Planners can (a) actively support equity-deserving communities in transcending historical discrimination by specifying how underserved groups are part of the future vision for a community, (b) frame justice as a core focus of the planning process rather than an end that planning practice should strive to achieve, (c) address the current gap between best practice and actual practice regarding meaningful engagement of underserved communities, and (d) more carefully consider the potentially regressive outcomes of climate action. These actions require planners to educate themselves about the underlying drivers of inequity in a specific community.