President Biden leaves the White House on April 5.
Alex Brandon/AP
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Alex Brandon/AP
President Biden leaves the White House on April 5.
Alex Brandon/AP
President Biden is marking Earth Day on Monday by launching an application website for his Climate Corps jobs and training program, a plan that has generated a lot of interest from young Americans.
Biden has rushed to advance initiatives that appeal to a generation that played a significant role in his victory in 2020 — a demographic he has struggled with in preparing for re-election this fall. The latest NPR/PBS News Hour/Marist found that 61% of voters under 30 disapprove of his performance as president.
Issues like climate change, gun violence prevention and student debt are important to young voters, and in recent weeks, Biden has unveiled a host of initiatives in these areas.
Biden launched the climate service program last fall, and within weeks the White House received more than 42,000 expressions of interest from Americans, mostly between the ages of 18 and 35.
Ultimately, the corps will employ more than 20,000 young people, according to the White House.
“For young people from all backgrounds, whatever their qualifications, whatever their postcode, there will now be pathways and roles they can take that will help them acquire the skills they need to succeed in the economy clean energy,” said Ali Zaidi, Biden’s climate chief. advisor, told reporters.
While young climate advocates applauded the package, they expressed disappointment with the Biden administration on a number of environmental issues, including the approval of several oil projects, and urged the president to declare a climate emergency.
What’s next for the Climate Body
The president will make the announcement in northern Virginia at Prince William Forest Park, which was built by the original Civilian Conservation Corps – a massive employment program launched by former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the wake of the great Depression.
The first work will begin in June. Americans will be placed in organizations focused on clean energy and helping communities affected by climate change.
The new website will initially list approximately 2,000 jobs, located in 36 states as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. The White House plans to regularly update the site with new positions.
According to the White House, young Americans who participate in the program can also benefit from training to land apprenticeship positions through a partnership with North American building trades unions. There is also a plan to help people use their new Climate Corps experience to apply for federal government positions.
On Monday, Biden also plans to announce $7 billion in grants for solar panel projects for low-income communities. Funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act.
NPR News
