Date of Award

Spring 5-8-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Department

Environmental Studies

Advisor(s)

John Van Buren

Abstract

This thesis examines the ways in which sustainable finance and green marketing might be used as instruments to address climate injustice, using the Bronx as a case study of a neighborhood that is disproportionately impacted by the urban heat island effect. The research intends to demonstrate how creative financial mechanisms and successful messaging tactics may promote more equitable adaptation to climate change in urban contexts by fusing ideas from environmental history, economics, and communications. The concept of environmental justice is presented in Chapter 1, which also describes how the Bronx's demographic groupings are disproportionately affected by climate change, including excessive heat. By highlighting how having access to resilient infrastructure and urban green space may reduce risks while enhancing health and well-being, this conversation also relates to the science of ecosystem services. The historical causes of environmental disinvestment in the Bronx are examined in Chapter 2. It draws attention to how the borough's climate vulnerability was cemented by redlining, public housing deterioration, and a lack of green infrastructure, resulting in enduring obstacles to adaptation. Turning to the economic perspective, Chapter 3 examines how sustainable finance instruments, such as municipal green bonds and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investment flows, are intended to direct funds into climate-resilient initiatives. This chapter assesses their strengths and weaknesses in resolving injustices at the local level. The political and communications dimensions are examined in Chapter 4, which explores the role of government policy, grassroots organizing, and advocacy against greenwashing in shaping sustainable finance. These perspectives are combined in Chapter 5 to propose a policy framework that integrates long-term financial instruments with transparent communication tactics. Encouraging equitable urban adaptation, enhancing climate investment accountability, and ensuring that marginalized neighborhoods like the Bronx are not left behind in the shift to a sustainable future are the objectives.

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