Sustainability and Confronting Climate Change: How are Ethnic-Owned Businesses in Los Angeles Affected?

CNK Director Paul Ong and researchers from the UCLA Latino Politics and Policy Institute and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation collaborated on a research project regarding ethnic-owned businesses (EOBs). Using various data sources, the study explores the challenges and structural barriers EOBs face when it comes to transitioning to 100% renewable energy sources and responding to climate change. This effort is part of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) efforts of how renewable energy can be equitably disseminated across all businesses.

Various related literature sources has established that structural barriers in accessing capital and public services allows EOBs to be at a disadvantage. Though, there are existing gaps in the literature about how these issues connects to the challenges EOBs face when changing to 100% renewable energy and confronting climate change.

CNK Director Paul Ong and researchers concludes that, “LADWP has taken some important first steps to achieve equity for small businesses and EOBs, but much more is required. Implementation of new equity policies, programs and practices will not be easy, and will require jointefforts with governmental energy agencies and utilities. As daunting as this may sound, these entities share a common goal of a just transition to 100% renewable energy. While the study focuses on LADWP, many of the findings and recommendations are applicable to the other entities. Many of the potential solutions are also relevant beyond LADWP.”

Read the article here: Chapter 14. Small Ethnic-Owned Businesses Study