Setting Justice40 in Motion: The Hourglass Problem of Infrastructure Justice

President Biden's Justice40 policy directs federal agencies to take measures to ensure that at least 40% of the benefits of energy and environmental infrastructure, climate resilience, housing, and workforce investments are truly realized by communities who have endured generations of government disinvestment and racial and economic discrimination. The path to achieving Jutice40, however, is not a given. The path faces a gauntlet of obstacles. We will discuss what it will take in the United States to set Justice40 in motion: the institutional commitments, internal systems, and capacity building necessary to drive significant benefits to frontline communities. By examining climate investments including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the previously proposed Build Back Better plan, and its enacted successor, the Inflation Reduction Act, we recommend lessons for implementing Justice40 now and any future initiatives-local, state or federal-with similar goals.