American Climate Corps

The American Climate Corps is a huge step towards making our communities more resilient to climate change and building a more fair, clean energy economy.

Background

In September 2023, the White House announced the creation of the American Climate Corps. This new program offers young people the workforce training and services needed for careers in the clean energy and climate resilience fields.

This new Corps will:

• Create a workforce training and service program to train over 20,000 young people in clean energy, conservation, and climate resilience, such as restoring coastal wetlands and deploying clean energy technologies;
• Offer paid jobs that provide pathways to high-quality careers;
• Coordinate across six federal agencies, including the Department of Interior, the Department of Energy, the Department of Labor, the Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and AmeriCorps, through a memorandum of understanding;
• Include five states (Arizona, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Utah) launching their own Climate Corps, which will work as implementing partners of the American Climate Corps.

One thing's for sure: This would not have been possible without the advocacy from hundreds of thousands of people signing petitions, sharing on social media, and marching for climate action. The Sierra Club and our broader movement have been calling on President Biden to create a green jobs program since his inauguration, and this victory is a testament to our collective work.

Why It Matters

Establishing an American Climate Corps is a big deal! It brings us closer to meeting our national climate and conservation goals while ensuring the next generation of leaders is at the forefront of solving our climate crisis. This program will dramatically expand the meaningful work that youth conservation corps have been doing for years – whether they’re planting trees to reduce the urban heat island effect, building living shorelines to mitigate the impact of hurricanes, fighting wildfires, or building trails. The American Climate Corps provides young leaders with green jobs and meaningful opportunities to transform the health of our planet, people, and economy.

How to Get Involved

Learn more about how to join the American Climate Corps by visiting the White House Recruitment Page.