Dingell, Brownley, Markey Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Climate Education

U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) and Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), alongside U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), introduced the bicameral Climate Change Education Act, which would establish a Climate Change Education Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide grants and technical assistance to state and local education agencies, institutions of higher learning, professional associations and academic societies, and youth corps organizations. The legislation would help ensure that graduating students are trained to live, work, and lead in a world increasingly impacted by climate change.

"We cannot fully confront the existential threat of climate change without a thorough understanding of the impact it will have on our lives and the steps we must take to combat it. Students learning these lessons today will be on the frontlines of the fight to save our planet. With this legislation, we will ensure our students and teachers are equipped with the knowledge and support they need to help us address this challenge today and in the future," said Congresswoman Dingell.

"The climate crisis has left no corner of the globe unscathed, especially not my home state of California," said Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26). "From longer wildfire seasons to rising sea levels to increasingly frequent and deadly natural disasters, climate change is already wreaking havoc on our communities, ecosystems, infrastructure, and economy. As this crisis worsens, younger and upcoming generations stand to suffer the most. That is why we must invest in education opportunities that will equip students with a thorough understanding of climate change and the skills needed to curb its effects, safeguard public health, and secure a competitive clean energy economy. Climate literacy is a critical solution to a problem that will disproportionately impact today's youth, and it is our moral imperative to help them build a climate-resilient future for generations to come."

"Young people today are inheriting a hotter and more dangerous planet, and they deserve to have the knowledge and technical skills necessary to solve and survive the climate crisis,"said Senator Markey. "The Climate Change Education Act is an investment in students, teachers, and a sustainable future. As extreme weather, rising seas, and climate-fueled health risks are increasingly obvious in our day-to-day lives, this bill would empower students with information and support the next generation of scientific champions. I thank Congresswomen Dingell and Brownley for this partnership on legislation that builds power and a better future."

The Climate Change Education Act would support climate literacy by authorizing $50 million per year between fiscal years 2027 and 2032 for grants and cooperative agreements between NOAA and education entities. The bill stipulates that 40 percent of the funds for higher education institutions and youth corps organizations would be directed to environmental justice communities.