Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than 9,000 American Climate Corps Members in Positions by End of June, Hosts Inaugural Swearing-in Ceremony
18 Junio 2024 - 12:43PM
WASHINGTON, DC — The Biden-Harris Administration hosted the first
swearing-in ceremony for members of President Biden’s landmark
American Climate Corps – a groundbreaking initiative modeled after
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps that will put a
new, diverse generation of young Americans to work fighting the
impacts of climate change today while gaining the skills they need
to join the growing clean energy and climate-resilience workforce
of tomorrow. At the end of this month, AmeriCorps expects more than
9,000 American Climate Corps members – nearly halfway to President
Biden’s goal of 20,000 members in year one – will serve across the
country, going to work conserving and restoring our lands and
waters, bolstering community resilience, deploying clean energy,
implementing energy efficient technologies, advancing environmental
justice and more.
“Today’s inaugural
swearing-in ceremony for the American Climate Corps marks a new era
of youth-powered climate action that will advance President Biden’s
ambitious climate, conservation, and clean energy priorities,”
said Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps. “The President’s
landmark initiative is fulfilling a key promise to mobilize a new,
diverse generation of Americans – and we couldn’t be more excited
to see the enthusiasm from so many young people who are eager to
get to work protecting their communities and building a cleaner,
healthier future.”
“When President Biden
hears climate, he thinks jobs – and the President’s American
Climate Corps shows clearly how tackling the climate crisis spurs
job creation and strengthens our workforce,” said President
Biden’s National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. “Whether it’s
managing forests in the Pacific Northwest, deploying clean energy
across the Southwest, or promoting sustainable farming practices
throughout the Heartland, the President’s American Climate Corps is
providing thousands of young Americans with the skills and
experience to advance a more sustainable, just tomorrow. This
inaugural cohort of American Climate Corps members will tackle
longstanding environmental challenges in their communities and
across the country, advance environmental justice, and build
America’s clean energy future.”
Members being sworn in
will recite a pledge, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and
environmentalist Barbara Kingsolver, that embodies the spirit and
vision for the President’s landmark initiative. Today’s swearing-in
follows a suite of actions President Biden announced in April to
stand up the American Climate Corps, including launching
climatecorps.gov – a new website and application portal for
prospective ACC members and implementing partners to enhance
pathways into federal service and registered apprenticeships and a
new interagency partnership to place ACC members directly in
organizations supporting energy communities.
The swearing-in also
builds on a series of listening sessions Biden-Harris
Administration officials convened earlier this year to hear
directly from prospective American Climate Corps applicants and
implementing partners, as well as conservation and service corps,
labor unions, educational institutions, employers, and state,
local, territorial and Tribal governments about their priorities
for the American Climate Corps. The listening sessions provided
participants with the opportunity to engage directly with
Administration officials who are overseeing the
initiative.
Additional swearing-in
ceremonies will take place over the coming weeks and months, as
additional members continue to be placed into ACC positions across
the country. AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service,
serves as the hub for the American Climate Corps.
National Service Press Office
AmeriCorps
(202) 766-2848
pressoffice@cns.gov