Climate Jobs Institute Debuts In-Person Course on Climate Change Impacts and Solutions Through Labor and Equity Lens
On October 16th and 17th, Cornell ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute (CJI) debuted a two-day, in-person climate jobs course, “Building an Equitable, Resilient, and Unionized Clean Energy Economy.” CJI’s Zach Cunningham, Lyndsay Gehring, Katie Hayden, and Gia Marotta facilitated the course with graduates of the NYS AFL-CIO/Worker Institute Union Leadership Institute who came from various unions and environmental groups, together delving into climate change impacts and solutions with a labor, employment, and equity lens.
Participants collectively brought a wide range of experiences and perspectives on climate change, the labor movement, and how to build partnerships to meet our necessary decarbonization goals. While the course was held in the ILR School’s New York City Conference Center, some participants came from New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois, resulting in a robust discussion on varying regional needs and approaches as local industries change.
Other topics included emerging technology and the importance of a just transition to ensure that workers from carbon-intensive industries are not left behind. CJI also educated participants on developing strategic campaigns to create and expand access to high-quality jobs in the clean energy transition.
Participants left excited to build on what they learned and keep in contact with each other, forging relationships between labor and environmental groups that are essential to tackling the dual crises of climate and inequality.
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Registration is still open for CJI's eCornell certificate on climate jobs, which launched earlier this year. The next cycle starts on November 13th, runs for eight weeks, and can be completed at your own pace and schedule.
This online program was developed by CJI’s executive director, Lara Skinner, and assistant director for labor education, Zach Cunningham, and comprises four courses:
- Climate Change, Inequality, and Just Transition
- The Politics and Economics of Climate Change
- Foundations of the Climate Jobs Approach
- Planning for a Successful Climate Jobs Campaign
Although the certificate can be completed asynchronously, there will also be optional live sessions over Zoom, where you can meet and discuss key issues with other leaders in the field.
Through this certificate, you will analyze the political and economic dynamics that shape climate policy and the roles of unions, government, and advocates in addressing the climate crisis. This certificate is designed to inform, empower, and motivate a wide range of individuals, including union leaders, policymakers, climate and environmental advocates, workforce development professionals, and anyone interested in tackling climate change and inequality.