June 2025 update from Create Climate Justice: prepare for climate resilience
I’m a weather dork. I check my multiple weather apps like most folks check their social media. From two decades of organic farming where *everything* revolved around the weather to a lifetime working on climate and environmental issues, me and weather systems are tight. So I mean it when I say that predictions for the next several months are worrisome.
Summer 2025 will be a scorcher with hotter than normal temperatures across the US. This means higher electricity bills, more wildfires, worse air quality, and a greater chance of heat-related illness and death. We can also expect a more extreme hurricane season. NOAA predicts a 60% chance of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season.
All of this spells doubly bad news when we think about the agencies that keep us safe in extreme weather. The National Weather Service and NOAA are operating with severe staffing gaps with leaders warning of potentially catastrophic consequences ahead, including “needless loss of life” if the agency enters its busiest period short staffed. FEMA has lost roughly one-third of their staff and cut disaster resilience programs that help communities prepare for climate disasters.
So what do we do? We take care of each other. If your congregation doesn’t already have plans in place for disaster preparedness and response, make it a priority this summer. We have created a Climate Resilience through Disaster Response and Community Care Toolkit for UUs to think through the challenges facing our communities, options for building resilience, and ways to partner with those most impacted.
Building community resilience through disaster preparedness and response is a crucial aspect of our work. Community Resilience is one of our Four Essentials of the Green Sanctuary 2030 program, which has been completely revitalized to support congregations with more action, less paperwork. Even if your congregation has been a Green Sanctuary congregation for twenty years, now is the time to renew your commitment to Climate Justice.
In community,
Rachel
Rachel Myslivy, UUA Side With Love Climate Justice Strategist
UU Climate Justice Revival at GA!
June 18-22, 2025
The UU Climate Justice Revival is coming to GA! We’re hosting a mini-Revival on Friday, a Revival meditation space, and a deep dive into the ways the UUA is moving climate justice forward. We’ll share more in the coming weeks, but for now, mark your calendars for:
Wear your Create Climate Justice t-shirt on Friday! Order from inSpirit Books or purchase at their booth in the Exhibit Hall
UU Climate Justice Revival at GA
Friday, June 20, 1-2:30 PM (Hybrid)
Baltimore Convention Center -- Ballroom III & IV
UUA Strategies to Address Climate Justice
Saturday, June 21, 1-2:30 PM
Virtual on Whova app
UU Climate Justice Revival Meditation Space:
Wednesday, June 18 - Sunday, June 22, 8AM-5PM
Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor -- Stone Room
Please note: all General Assembly programming is for registered General Assembly attendees only unless otherwise noted.
