- New Climate Equity Collaborative will focus on addressing
impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, youth
- GM will donate $1 million to
the Collaborative from its Climate Equity Fund
- GM and the National Wildlife Federation gear up for Climate
Week with an EV road trip from Detroit to New York
City with climate advocate, musician and UN Youth
Leader AY Young
DETROIT, Sept. 13,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors has announced
that it has joined the National Wildlife Federation as a founding
member of the new Climate Equity Collaborative, an initiative
focused on addressing the disproportionate impacts of climate
change on vulnerable communities and youth.
The Climate Equity Collaborative aims to engage
communities, youth and nonprofits in designing and
implementing equitable and inclusive climate solutions. Its
key priorities include:
- Elevating environmental justice and education within the
broader climate conversation
- Building on-ramps to the climate equity space for organizations
that share the Collaborative's values, starting with communities
hit first and worst by the impacts of climate change
- Strengthening the knowledge and leadership already existing
among youth and vulnerable communities through engagement
opportunities and resources
- Driving investments to nonprofits and platforms that are
advancing education, environmental justice and economic
opportunity.
GM has donated $1 million to the
Collaborative through its Climate Equity Fund, and it will codesign
the initiative's framework and roadmap. The National Wildlife
Federation is serving as the convener alongside an ecosystem of
sustainability leaders in the nonprofit, government and private
sectors.
Other founding nonprofit partners include WE ACT for
Environmental Justice, Children's Environmental Health Network, and
the Community and College Partners Program.
"Too often, the people and communities most vulnerable to
climate change are left out of conversations that impact their
lives," says Kristen Siemen, GM's
vice president of Sustainable Workplaces and chief sustainability
officer. "We're proud to be a founding member of the Climate Equity
Collaborative, and we invite other companies to join us in this
movement to take stronger, more inclusive action on climate
change."
As a founding member of the Collaborative, GM builds on its
commitment to ensure that its transition to an all-electric
future is inclusive of employees, customers and the communities
most impacted by climate change. In 2021, GM launched its Equitable
Climate Action initiative and created its now $50 million Climate Equity Fund to provide
philanthropic support to nonprofit organizations closing equity
gaps related to climate change. The Fund has provided more than 40
grants to nonprofits and benefitted approximately 1.2 million
people through its programs.
"The climate crisis is hitting Black and frontline communities
first and worst. The Climate Equity Collaborative and this
partnership will help us ensure that efforts to address the
changing climate and generational environment injustices reflect
the perspectives and needs of impacted communities," said
Mustafa Santiago Ali, executive vice
president of conservation and justice at the National Wildlife
Federation. "We're eager to build off the work to date of the
Climate Equity Collaborative and inspire all communities to join us
in this important work."
The Road to Climate Week
In the lead-up to Climate Week, GM and the National Wildlife
Federation are teaming up with global climate advocate, musician
and United Nations Youth Leader for Sustainable Development Goals,
AY Young on a road trip from the Detroit Auto Show to New York City.
Young will drive an all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EUV,
showcasing the growing accessibility of electric vehicles and
expanding infrastructure. Young will make stops along the way to
talk to students about how they can help advance equitable climate
solutions. Once in New York City,
Young will perform a concert with newly released music from
his Project 17 album to inspire hope and climate action.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused
on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and
accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium
battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to
high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its
joint venture entities sell vehicles under
the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, https://www.holden.com.au/?evar25=gm_media_releaseBaojun and Wuling brands.
More information on the company and its subsidiaries,
including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and
security services, can be found
at https://www.gm.com.
National Wildlife Federation is America's largest and
most trusted conservation organization, with more than 6 million
members and supporters and 52 state and territorial affiliates. The
National Wildlife Federation's mission is to unite all Americans to
ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world.
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SOURCE General Motors Co.