The White House declared a program to train 20,000 young people for climate-focused jobs

September 21, 2023: On Wednesday, the White House announced a program to train 20,000 young people for climate-focused jobs related to clean energy, land restoration, forest management, and more.

The American Climate Corps is a national initiative to provide young people with skills-based training for careers in the clean energy and climate resilience sector. The agenda, as outlined in a White House press release, also serves as a pathway for participants to secure employment in green jobs.

It’s worth noting that President Biden had previously proposed a similar initiative in 2021, the Civilian Climate Corps, with a budget of $30 billion and plans for over 300,000 members. This proposal was part of the larger Build Back Better Act, which outlined his climate agenda. The concept drew inspiration from the historical Civilian Conservation Corps, established during the New Deal era, which trained young individuals for public land and forest improvement roles.

However, Biden’s Civilian Climate Corps was not included in the Inflation Reduction Act, a $430 billion package passed by Congress in August 2022, which allocated significant funds to climate policy initiatives. While some states have initiated their programs, Democratic Congress members have advocated for federal-level action.

The recent launch of the American Climate Corps is being carried out through executive action, meaning it doesn’t require congressional approval.

Specific details about the program’s budget were not disclosed in the White House’s announcement.

This announcement comes shortly after 51 members of Congress signed a letter urging President Biden to issue an Executive Order to reestablish the federal Civilian Climate Corps, which was left out of the Inflation Reduction Act. Their goal is to prepare a new generation of workers for well-paying, unionized jobs in the growing green economy.