american climate corps
Credit: Alan Levine/Flickr
Biden's climate corps aims to curb eco-anxiety
President Joe Biden's new American Climate Corps is designed to address climate change while providing green jobs and potentially alleviating climate anxiety among young people.
In short:
- The American Climate Corps offers jobs restoring wetlands, installing solar panels, and addressing climate anxiety.
- Many young people are unsure how to take effective climate action, which contributes to widespread eco-anxiety.
- Structured, hands-on work with clear goals can alleviate the distress associated with climate change.
Key quote:
“There’s something about, ‘Here is a clear job with a clear timeline and a clear local goal. I can, like, put my hands in the dirt.’'"
— Kidus Girma, campaign director of the Sunrise Movement
Why this matters:
The American Climate Corps not only fights climate change but also provides mental health benefits by giving young people purposeful work, fostering social support, and building psychological resilience. Read more: Robbie Parks on climate justice and mental health.
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Newsletter
Credit: Eliott Reyna/Unsplash
Biden's climate corps initiative faces stiff opposition
President Joe Biden's proposal for an $8 billion American Climate Corps has sparked immediate and intense criticism from Republican lawmakers, highlighting a deep divide over climate policy.
In short:
- Biden's budget includes a significant investment in the American Climate Corps, aiming to train 50,000 young people for green jobs.
- Republicans, branding the initiative as wasteful and "woke," have vehemently opposed the plan, with some suggesting the money would be better spent elsewhere.
- The debate underscores the ongoing partisan clash over climate change and environmental policy, with Democrats pushing for action and Republicans resisting the proposed federal climate corps.
Key quote:
"Not to be dramatic, but lighting $8 billion on fire would probably be a better use of money and time."
— Senate Western Caucus — a right-leaning group of lawmakers keen on promoting Western interests
Why this matters:
Critics argue that the American Climate Corps, while ambitious in its goals to employ thousands of young people in conservation and renewable energy projects, represents an overreach of federal authority and an unnecessary expansion of government spending. Skeptics, primarily from conservative circles, question the efficacy of such a program in making a substantial impact on climate change and contend that it could burden taxpayers without guaranteeing a commensurate return on investment.
Youth environmental activism has moved us forward in many ways—but to maximize this impact we need coalitions that learn from the past in order to prepare for the future.
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Newsletter
Credit: Alan Rither/Pixabay
New opportunities with the American Climate Corps launching soon
The Biden administration is set to open the American Climate Corps jobs board next month, offering a range of positions aimed at addressing climate change and environmental conservation.
In short:
- The program, inspired by the New Deal's Civilian Conservation Corps, will initially offer hundreds of jobs, with plans to hire 20,000 young people in its first year.
- Positions will cover various fields including energy efficiency, disaster response, recycling, and wildfire mitigation, with no experience required for most jobs.
- Strong public support is seen for the program, with a majority of voters across political lines backing the initiative and many young people showing interest.
Key quote:
“There’s an incredible demand signal from young people who we see as being put on a pathway to good-paying careers.”
— Maggie Thomas, special assistant to the president for climate change
Why this matters:
This initiative is a cooperative effort involving multiple federal agencies, including AmeriCorps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Departments of Labor, Interior, Agriculture, and Energy. Its primary aim is to mobilize over 20,000 young Americans, equipping them with the skills needed for future careers in public service or the private sector focused on environmental conservation, clean energy, and climate resilience.
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Opinion
Pixabay
Daniel Goulden: We need a real green jobs program to fight climate change
Joe Biden’s newly unveiled American Climate Corps is set to provide green jobs training to just 20,000 people. It falls far short of the ambitious public jobs program the Left has long demanded.
Newsletter
Unsplash+
Colorado Climate Corps a seed for Biden's American Climate Corps
The Colorado Climate Corps — sparked with $1.7 million from the state — deployed 633 AmeriCorps workers across Colorado to help communities mitigate the threat of wildfires, improve trails and upgrade homes with energy-efficient improvements.
Newsletter
Wanted: 20,000 young Americans to fight climate change
The White House plans to create an “American Climate Corps” that would train thousands of young people for green jobs.
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