How has climate change impacted your life in Southern California? Have you experienced severe weather events like fire, extreme heat, or flooding? Altered your day-to-day routine because of the changing climate? Or noticed climate-related changes in your community or neighborhood?
TreePeople wants to hear YOUR stories for a new research project!
We’re looking for submissions for the Fifth Climate Assessment Los Angeles Regional Report, which aims to help us better understand climate-related vulnerability throughout California.
We want to include stories that reflect community members’ lived experiences when facing the impacts of climate change.
Whether you are part of a community actively engaging with these challenges or have insights into effective solutions, your contribution will help us shape the conversation around climate action!
Submission Details
We’re looking for stories related to one or more of the following topics:
- The impacts of climate change including (but not limited to):
- Warming and heat; water resource loss and droughts; flooding; wildfires; coastal damage (harmful algae blooms, sea level rise, ocean acidification, increase in sea surface temperatures, soil erosion, storms); poor air quality and pollution
- Climate-related impacts on the following:
- Air, soil, and water (surface and groundwater); nature, habitats, and the ecosystems; communities and individuals; labor-workforce; education and schools; buildings, transportation, infrastructure, and property; agricultural and fishing industries; energy systems and power grid
- Community-based solutions to cope with the impacts of climate change and how to prevent the acceleration of climate change
- Environmental impacts that disproportionately impact communities of color and Indigenous backgrounds from socioeconomic inequities
- To submit, you must live in Southern California. Eligible counties include West Riverside, West San Bernardino, South Ventura, South Los Angeles County, Orange County, or Tribal land in the region. Specific cities in those regions are listed here.
- Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis. The final deadline is midnight on April 1st, 2025.
- We will accept both written stories and audio recordings. Written stories should be 300-500 words, submitted as a word document. Audio recordings should be 1-2 minutes, submitted as an m4a file. For technical support recording or submitting an audio file reach out to climatestories@treepeople.org.
- Send your story to: climatestories@treepeople.org
- Final selections will be made with the intention of representing the breadth of the many climate impacts and geographic locations represented in our region. Authors of stories selected for publication in the report will be notified by April 30th, 2025, and will receive $250 as a thank you for your contribution.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to reach out to us at climatestories@treepeople.org. We look forward to hearing from you and appreciate your contribution.