Project period: 9 16 24-9 15 26PROJECT title: social network analysis of the environmental justice and climate justice community active in climate adaptation and conservationas the global climate…

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) awarded a $300,000 Cooperative Agreement under the USGS Research and Data Collection program (CFDA 15.808) to The Regents of the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU) for the project "Social Network Analysis of the Environmental Justice and Climate Justice Community Active in Climate Adaptation and Conservation." The project, running from September 16, 2024 to September 15, 2026, will identify and map relationships between organizations engaged in environmental and climate justice work relevant to climate adaptation and conservation. This effort aims to help the USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers partner with these groups to support equitable climate adaptation goals. The research will produce a methodology for mapping and understanding these networks in other regions to enhance the USGS's and Climate Adaptation Science Centers' future collaborations with diverse stakeholders and rightsholders working on environmental and climate justice issues.

Project period: 9 16 24-9 15 26PROJECT title: social network analysis of the environmental justice and climate justice community active in climate adaptation and conservationas the global climate continues to warm, both human and natural systems will face increasing changes however, these impacts are not evenly distributed across different groups of people. Those who are least responsible for causing climate change are often positioned to be most negatively impacted by its effects. The national and regional climate adaptation science centers are called to provide actionable information to support climate adaptation that specifically meets the needs of underserved stakeholders and rightsholders. There are already many groups, communities, and organizations working towards environmental and climate justice, and the climate adaptation science centers can be most effective in supporting equitable climate adaptation by partnering with these groups. This research will identify organizations engaging in environmental justice and climate justice work that aligns with the objectives of the climate adaptation science centers and natural resource managers, and will describe how the climate adaptation science centers could collaborate with these organizations to contribute to equitable climate adaptation goals. In order to do this, will conduct a social network analysis. Social network analysis identifies the connections between different groups, organizations, or individuals, called network actors. The project team will identify, map, and measure relationship patterns of network actors with work relevant to environmental and climate justice for climate adaptation and conservation. Will also create a list of the priorities and key areas of work of each of these network actors. Together, this information will allow our research team to identify potential partnerships between the climate adaptation science centers and environmental and climate justice groups. This work will be used to establish a methodology for mapping and understanding this network for other climate adaption science center regions. In this way, this research will help connect the united states geological survey, climate adaption science centers, and natural resource managers to diverse organizations, communities, and other groups who are working on climate and environmental justice. This research will expand the future impact of the united states geological survey and climate adaption science center research via the potential for increased, targeted work with stakeholders, managers, and rightsholders, as well as how to sustain those relationships moving forward. This research could also benefit groups currently working on equitable climate adaptation by connecting them with the research capacity available through the united states geological survey and the national and regional climate adaption science centers.