Service Year Alliance released the following statement today in response to the White House’s announcement launching the American Climate Corps:
“The White House announcement today launching the American Climate Corps (ACC) is an important advancement from the Administration in fulfilling its commitments to the next generation and meeting the urgency of the climate crisis. The American Climate Corps, which will be formalized by interagency collaboration across the federal government, has the potential to mobilize young people to tackle pressing climate and environmental resilience challenges through national service. If these federal agencies embrace President Biden’s call to action and bring the ACC to fruition, it has the power to build the future workforce our country needs to fill the clean energy and infrastructure jobs created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act.
Today’s announcement is in direct response to our efforts over the past several years — alongside our partners in the national service field and as leaders of the Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps. While this announcement is just the beginning, this is a critical step toward utilizing the whole-of-government to bring our vision to life for a climate-focused national service corps. This idea is highly popular among young people and much-needed to promote agency among the next generation to drive climate solutions.
If federal agencies embrace President Biden’s call for interagency collaboration and push forward efforts to come together and invest in national service, the expansion of the ACC has the power to lower greenhouse gas emissions and household energy costs, build on-ramps to conservation and energy sector jobs, address environmental justice, and help communities improve infrastructure and resilience.
We urge the Administration and federal agencies to follow through on their promises to mobilize youth to take climate action — there’s work to be done across the federal government to ensure that with the new American Climate Corps comes new opportunities to meet the needs of local communities and set the next generation up for success on pathways to good-paying jobs.”
Explore resources Service Year Alliance has created to help scale climate service year program here.
