It’s not a stretch to say that we live in an age of extremes. 2023 was—by far—the hottest year since humans have been keeping records; scientists say it was the hottest in 100,000 years. We have entered what UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres calls “the era of global boiling.” Our politics are boiling, as well. Extremist ideologies are on the rise, and American democracy faces nearly unprecedented threats.

And yet, in this dire and polarized moment, so many people are rising to the great environmental and moral challenges of our time. In 2023, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) captured this hopeful, life-affirming work through a series of articles, op-eds, interviews, and other short-form writing that have now been collected in the latest edition of our e-book series Resilience Matters, available below at no cost thanks to our grant support from The Kresge Foundation and The JPB Foundation.

In these pages, you’ll see how the Biden administration’s historic climate investments are making their way to communities hit hardest by inequity and climate change. You'll learn how nonprofits are helping grassroots groups navigate the bureaucracy and land federal dollars, and how foundations are bringing solar to lower-income communities. You’ll also explore how much of this inspiring work is being led by residents of low-income communities of color on the frontlines of the climate crisis. We invite you to draw inspiration from their work, and join the struggle for a greener, fairer future. 

Click here to download the PDF of Resilience Matters.

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