The Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps released the following statement today in response to The White House announcement concerning next steps for the American Climate Corps: 

“The Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps applauds today’s announcement of a partnership of seven federal agencies - the Departments of Commerce, Interior, Agriculture, Labor and Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and AmeriCorps - to collaborate toward the implementation of the American Climate Corps. This is a critical step in developing a national climate corps and identifying how federal agencies can work together, and with states and non-profits, to engage thousands of Americans in impacting climate issues.

With this announcement in place, these interagency partners should now begin to identify Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) accounts that could be used to partner with AmeriCorps to create new climate corps positions for young people to gain hands-on work and service project experience on a career pathway while accomplishing these agencies’ goals. The Administration must also partner with existing Service and Conservation Corps that, in many cases, have been doing this work for decades, as well as States that have already established climate corps to begin recruiting for these positions and identify climate corps program and project standards.

With over 100 cross-sector organizations that make up the Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps — representing environmental justice, workforce development, labor, conservation, national service, and youth-serving organizations — we are ready to work closely with these agencies and the White House to build the American Climate Corps from a place of strength, engaging a diverse group of rural and urban youth while maintaining a locally driven approach that is responsive to local needs and provides pathways to growing, and good paying, careers. We appreciate the inclusion in today’s announcement of “virtual listening sessions” coming up in January and are eager to participate alongside Americans that are ready to serve in the American Climate Corps.

The Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps provided the White House with recommendations for implementing the American Climate Corps, based on a set of principles. In addition to taking a whole-of-government approach through interagency partnerships, the American Climate Corps must engage 300,000 people over the next decade, deliberately recruit corps members that represent the diversity of America, engage state and local government, and establish a robust set of benefits for those who serve, prioritize environmental justice projects, connect to career pathway opportunities through the IIJA and IRA, and address both rural and urban needs.”

Learn more about the Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps.