Biden Unveils US ‘Climate Corps’ to Tackle Environmental Challenges
United States President Joe Biden has exercised his executive authority to introduce a groundbreaking “climate corps” programme, a move that has long been advocated for by environmental activists.
This landmark initiative, unveiled on Wednesday, aims to provide paid training opportunities to 20,000 young individuals, equipping them with the skills needed to secure well-paying jobs in the battle against climate change.
This executive action comes in response to the failure of similar proposals in the US Congress last year, mainly due to opposition from Republican lawmakers.
In a tweet, President Biden stated, “Today, we are mobilising the next generation of clean energy, conservation, and climate resilience workers.”
The President has been resolute in his commitment to transitioning towards a cleaner energy economy, particularly through provisions outlined in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
This legislation marked the most substantial federal investment in combatting climate change in the history of the United States.
President Biden has consistently emphasized the ongoing threat posed by greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental hazards. Upon assuming office, he underscored his dedication to this issue by appointing the first-ever cabinet-level climate envoy.
Just recently, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly, he renewed his call for global cooperation in addressing climate challenges.
Despite these efforts, opinions on President Biden’s domestic climate policies remain mixed among environmental advocates.
Earlier this year, his administration sparked controversy by greenlighting the Willow oil-drilling project in Alaska, a move critics argue contradicts Biden’s 2020 campaign promise to cease new oil leases on federal lands.
In a statement on Wednesday, Keanu Arpels-Josiah, a key organizer for the March to End Fossil Fuels, praised the Climate Corps initiative but called for more decisive executive actions that would “swiftly phase out fossil fuel expansion and production.”
Arpels-Josiah stated,
“Biden clearly knows he can use his executive powers to take bolder steps on climate.”
“It’s time he used them to stop approving oil and gas projects, phase down drilling on public lands and waters, and declare a climate emergency.”
“That’s the action we need to end fossil fuels and protect humanity and our futures.”
Other environmental groups were more unequivocal in their support, with the Sunrise Movement, a prominent advocate for the climate corps, hailing the new programme as a “visionary policy.”
The Climate Corps draws inspiration from the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the New Deal initiatives during the 1930s, aimed at recovering from the Great Depression.
The Civilian Conservation Corps engaged tens of thousands of citizens in various national projects across the country.
Over 50 Democratic lawmakers urged President Biden to establish the Climate Corps in a letter, stressing that “the climate crisis demands a whole-of-government response at an unprecedented scale.”
However, Republicans who oppose the programme have criticized it as a drain on resources.
In a statement from 2021, when Democrats were considering launching a climate corps, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the project as “pure socialist wish-fulfilment.”
He also expressed concerns that the programme could exacerbate an existing labour shortage in the United States.
The White House has not disclosed the total cost of the programme, but a previous Democratic proposal estimated it at approximately $10 billion.
The White House has stated that the training offered by the programme will encompass a range of projects, including the restoration of coastal wetlands, the implementation of clean energy initiatives, wildfire prevention, and strategies to reduce energy costs for hardworking families.
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