Bill Overview
Title: Climate Resilience Workforce Act
Description: This bill sets forth provisions to establish a climate resilience workforce, a national climate resilience action plan, an Office of Climate Resilience within the White House, and related efforts and entities.
Sponsors: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals vulnerable to climate change impacts worldwide
Estimated Size: 100000000
- The Climate Resilience Workforce Act is a comprehensive initiative targeted at dealing with climate change impacts, which have global implications.
- Climate change affects all populations, but particularly those in regions prone to extreme weather events, including coastal, agricultural, and urban areas.
- The workforce established by such an act would likely encompass jobs in renewable energy, infrastructure, environmental protection, and emergency response.
- Millions of people globally are at risk from climate change, especially in low-lying coastal countries, drought-prone regions, and places experiencing desertification.
Reasoning
- The policy budget and program reach would support both direct and indirect job creation in areas likely to be affected by climate change. The estimated funding allows for strategic intervention, primarily in coastal regions that are preparing for sea-level rise, infrastructure bolstering in urban centers facing extreme weather, and drought mitigation strategies in agriculture-heavy zones.
- Considering the budget and the American target estimate of 100 million individuals, a portion of these individuals can expect tangible benefits such as job creation, increased security from climate threats, and better community planning. However, with limited budget compared to the global scale of the problem, not everyone would experience significant change.
- The policy would groom a workforce attuned to needs such as renewable energy installation, emergency weather response, and environmental conservation. Individuals in these sectors might experience enhanced job security and prospects.
- The impact varies by region: coastal cities (high impact from job opportunities, infrastructure projects), agricultural regions (medium to high impact with drought preparation initiatives), and urban centers (low to medium impact focused on emergency response and green infrastructure).
- The overall goal of the Climate Resilience Workforce Act is not only to mitigate climate change effects but also to build a sustainable, skilled workforce, which has implications for the economic and social vitality of communities.
Simulated Interviews
Environmental Engineer (Miami, Florida)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm optimistic about this policy because we definitely need more resilient infrastructure against hurricanes.
- I hope this opens more job opportunities, considering my career is closely tied to coastal projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Farmer (Sacramento, California)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The droughts have been hard, and anything that helps mitigate this is welcome.
- I hope there's support for small and medium farms like mine.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Urban Planner (New York City, New York)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could boost green spaces in urban areas, which our city desperately needs.
- I'm hopeful for increased funding for sustainable projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retired (Houston, Texas)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Flooding has been more frequent and severe, so more preparation would be reassuring.
- While I don't want to move, West-Houston should be safer with these policies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Student (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm interested in working in climate resilience, so this seems promising for my future career.
- New Orleans is already dealing with climate impact, so this might be crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Solar Technician (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The expansion of the solar sector as part of this policy is essential.
- Desertification is threatening, so any plan helping this is needed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Construction Worker (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Urban infrastructure improvements could mean more stable job opportunities.
- I hope it includes training for new techniques.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Tech Worker (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy aligns with what our startup is doing, so it could mean more business and innovation.
- Seattle is already on the front lines of climate tech, so I have high hopes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Wildlife Conservationist (Denver, Colorado)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our conservation efforts face more challenges with climate change, so I'm supportive of more workforce initiatives.
- I hope this helps with funding for the conservation projects we need.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Factory Worker (Detroit, Michigan)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy supports industrial jobs and provides retraining if needed.
- Sustainable production could be a good thing for job security.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000000 (Low: $4000000000, High: $6000000000)
Year 2: $5100000000 (Low: $4100000000, High: $6100000000)
Year 3: $5200000000 (Low: $4200000000, High: $6200000000)
Year 5: $5500000000 (Low: $4500000000, High: $6500000000)
Year 10: $6000000000 (Low: $5000000000, High: $7000000000)
Year 100: $8000000000 (Low: $7000000000, High: $9000000000)
Key Considerations
- Initial investment in climate resilience may seem high, but offers long-term benefits in reducing climate-related damages.
- Expected job creation could offset initial costs by bolstering the economy.
- Implementation speed and the effectiveness of policy execution are critical in realizing the potential savings and economic benefits.
- Collaboration with state and local governments will be vital to achieving comprehensive resilience.