The Climate Jobs National Resource Center (CJNRC) is united around a shared goal of
combating climate change while reversing income inequality. Our mission is to advocate
for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs,
and support more equitable communities.
Building upon the Workers Institute at Cornell University’s Labor Leading On Climate Initiative, the Climate Jobs National Resource Center launched Climate Jobs New York, its first Climate Jobs coalition in 2017. In partnership with the Workers Institute at Cornell University and five labor unions, the coalition formed a 501(c)3 and a 501(c)4 to advocate for increased action to combat climate change, create family-sustaining good jobs, and reverse inequality. This set the stage to build similar coalitions across the country.
Global warming produced by human activity has destabilized our climate and led to a staggering onslaught of bigger, more destructive wildfires, powerful storms and hurricanes, extended droughts, extreme heat and cold events, and global disease outbreaks.
The climate crisis threatens where we live, work, and play as well as the inhabitability of our planet and calls for immediate action.
Over the next three years, we propose creating Climate Jobs organizations in 11 additional states that have strong political leadership, a strong labor presence, and elected officials who are committed to making progress on climate change and reducing inequality.
CJNRC will work with each state table to identify the most fruitful avenues for climate action in each state in terms of maximizing emissions reductions, which could include strengthening state renewable portfolio standards, launching building retrofit initiatives for residential, commercial, and/or public buildings, expanding public transit infrastructure, making new investments in wind and solar, or improving energy efficiency at industrial and commercial spaces.