Last month, the Biden-Harris Administration swore in the inaugural class of the American Climate Corps (ACC), a groundbreaking initiative that will mobilize the next generation of clean energy, conservation and climate resilience workers. Members were sworn-in over three ceremonies broadcast live from the White House campus and featuring remarks from ACC champions including President Biden’s National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. ACC members also heard from youth climate leaders like Chiena Ty, an inaugural member of the ACC based in California, who reflected on the "many different ways that people can participate in taking climate action…in a small community, as a state, and then as a country."
There are now over 9,000 members of the ACC serving in communities across the country – putting the program nearly halfway to its goal of recruiting 20,000 members in its first year.
The ACC is a key pillar of the Biden-Harris Administration's historic climate, conservation, and clean energy agenda. By providing skills-based training for young people across the country, the ACC will prepare thousands of Americans for climate-focused careers and ensure we have a workforce equipped to build the clean energy economy of the future.
President Biden’s National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi (Left) and Special Assistant to the President Maggie Thomas (Right) leading the first ACC swearing-in ceremony. South Court Auditorium, June 18th, 2024.
CREATING CHANGE WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY
There are ACC members in every corner of the country working on climate projects: deploying clean energy, conserving America’s lands and waters, supporting community resilience, boosting energy efficiency, and advancing environmental justice.
ACC members are hosted by partner organizations that include local nonprofits, federal agencies, and 13 leading states that have established their own Climate Corps programs. The full suite of opportunities can be found on ACC.gov, with a few examples of the work ACC members will bring to their communities here:
Forest Corps: One of the most visible impacts of the climate crisis has been an increase in large-scale wildfires. From the West Coast to the East Coast, wildfires have burned larger, hotter, and faster, turning the skies orange and degrading air quality. AmeriCorps NCCC Forest Corps is a brand-new partnership between AmeriCorps and the U.S. Forest Service that focuses on training the next generation of wildland firefighters. ACC members that participate in Forest Corps will be stationed across the United States, protecting communities from the Pacific Northwest to Appalachia.
Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC): The Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC) is a new program partnership between the US Department of Agriculture, AmeriCorps, The Corps Network and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) to tackle the climate crisis in rural communities. WLCC will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for at least 100 young adults in its first cohort, helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers across the country.
These opportunities, alongside thousands of other positions comprising the ACC will train members in the skills necessary to launch long-term, good-paying careers in the clean energy and climate resilience workforce.
On Earth Day 2024, President Biden announced a partnership with the North American Buildings Trade Union (NABTU) and their nonprofit partner, Trade Futures. Through this partnership, NABTU will provide its industry-leading pre-apprenticeship curriculum to every ACC member. For young people interested in trade work, removing barriers to registered apprenticeship programs ensures that ACC graduates have access to a streamlined pathway for high-quality employment.
SEIZING THE MOMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA
Last month’s ACC swearing-in ceremonies captured the enormous potential and diversity of the ACC, showcasing the excitement of young people across America toward becoming leaders in protecting their communities against the impacts of the climate crisis.
Each ceremony concluded with the newly-minted ACC members taking a pledge penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and environmentalist Barbara Kingsolver. Kingsolver called the American Climate Corps "one of the most exciting things happening in the country right now" and noted the universal desire for young Americans to prioritize climate and conservation, "encourages kids from everywhere, from every class, in every geographic part of the U.S., rural or urban, to have opportunities to engage with conservation, to engage with the future in this way."
The Biden-Harris administration knows that this is the decisive decade for climate action – and for empowering the next generation of climate leaders. Kingsolver’s oath, shared below, reminds all of us of our shared task tackle the climate crisis and build a better future.
AMERICAN CLIMATE CORPS PLEDGE
I pledge to bring my skills, respect, and compassion to work every day, supporting environmental justice in all our communities.
I will honor nature’s beauty and abundance, on which we all depend, and commit to its protection from the climate crisis.
I will build a more resilient future, where every person can thrive.
I will take my place in history, working with shared purpose in the American Climate Corps on behalf of our nation and planet, its people, and all its species, for the better future we hold within our sight.