The Climate Change Education Act was initially created by then Senator Barack Obama and Representative Michael Honda in 2007. The Campaign for Environmental Literacy organized stakeholders to push for passage of this bill, and has led the subsequent efforts to reintroduce and pass the bill four times since then.
The Climate Change Education Act creates an Office of Climate Change Education at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and authorizes up to $40 million for that office to make the following four types of grants:
- Grants to State educational agencies, in partnership with local educational agencies and local nonprofit organizations, to implement state climate literacy plans for formal and informal climate change education for the purpose of at least one of the following:
- Relevant teacher training and professional development,
- Changes to relevant subject-area education standards to incorporate key climate principles and concepts
- Development of climate change education educational frameworks and model curricula
- Creation of applied learning project-based models
- Development of career and technical education career tracks for green collar jobs.
- Grants to individual colleges and universities as well as partnerships and networks of colleges and universities to support faculty and student teams to develop applied climate research and deliver direct services related to local climate mitigation and adaptation issues to local communities.
- Grants to Professional associations and academic disciplinary societies for projects that build capacity at the State and national levels for continuing education by practicing professionals and the general public in green economy fields.
- Grants to youth corps organizations to engage in community-based, coastal climate mitigation and adaptation work that includes a substantive educational component.
Senate Sponsors:
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]* 03/25/2021
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]* 03/25/2021
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Sen. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM] 04/15/2021 Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] 04/29/2021
House Sponsors:
Sponsor: Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-12]
- Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]* 04/01/2021
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ-7]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]* 04/01/2021
- Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18] 04/01/2021
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Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] 07/09/2021 Rep. Levin, Andy [D-MI-9] 07/09/2021 Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3] 07/16/2021 Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-31] 07/19/2021 Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1] 08/06/2021 Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9] 08/06/2021 Rep. Sires, Albio [D-NJ-8] 08/10/2021
Endorsing Organizations
National Organizations:
Campaign for Environmental Literacy
US Green Building Council Center for Green Schools
National Wildlife Federation
American Federation of Teachers
EarthDay.Org
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
National Center for Science Education
Second Nature
National Science Teaching Association
North American Association for Environmental Education
The Paleontological Research Institution
Alliance for Climate Education
Communitopia
Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN)
National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation
StormCenter Communications
UndauntedK12
Ecorise
Earth2Ocean, Inc
Strategic Energy Innovations
Shelburne Farms
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
State Education and Environment Roundtable
Captain Planet Foundation
State Organizations
Rhode Island Environmental Education Association
Ten Strands
Climate Dads
Climate Resolve
PS 90 (NYC)
- Alliance for Climate Education
- Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
- Campaign for Environmental Literacy
- EarthDay Network
- National Center for Science Education
- National Recreation and Park Association
- National Science Teachers Association
- National Wildlife Federation
- North American Association for Environmental Education