About the Climate Jobs Institute

The Climate Jobs Institute (CJI) at Cornell University’s ILR School is guiding the nation’s transition to a strong, equitable, and resilient clean energy economy by pursuing three aims: to tackle the climate crisis; to create high-quality jobs; and to build a diverse, inclusive workforce. 

Through cutting-edge policy studies, deep relationships with on-the-ground partners, and innovative training and education programs, the CJI provides information that policymakers, the labor and environmental movements, industry leaders, and others need to navigate this historic transition to a zero-carbon economy. 

Core Activities and Objectives 

The CJI delivers high-quality research, innovative policy solutions, and top-notch educational programming that connects key stakeholders to design and implement New York State’s climate plans. 

The CJI’s main areas of work include: 

• Applied Research and Policy Development for Legislators and Labor, Environmental, and Industry Leaders. The CJI crafts equity- and worker-oriented climate policies and analyses indicating how states can address climate change while maximizing high-quality job creation and economic development. The Institute’s research and policy efforts result in reports, case studies, policy briefs, and visual tools and maps meant to guide the nation’s transition to a clean, equitable economy. 
• Technical Assistance. The CJI provides rapid response data and policy analysis on the labor, employment, and economic impacts of climate and clean energy issues. The Institute’s technical assistance work offers legislators, policymakers, and others real-time support. This work also generates legislative briefings, policy briefs, blog posts, op-eds, and other written materials targeting legislators, local government officials, and leaders in labor, environmental movements, and industry. 
• Training and Education. The CJI organizes a variety of educational convenings that strengthen stakeholders’ knowledge, confidence, and motivation to tackle climate change and to build a large, equitable clean energy economy with high-quality jobs. Programs include the Institute’s annual Climate Jobs Summit; the design and delivery of member trainings; legislative briefings; educational delegations for legislators, labor leaders, and others; and an online Climate Jobs certificate. 
• Workforce Development. The CJI provides a critical link between the future clean energy workforce we need and workforce development programs that meet these needs. The Institute also provides a pipeline from frontline Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities to paid on-the-job training programs and high-quality careers. 
• Student Engagement. The CJI enriches the ILR and Cornell student experience by engaging undergraduate and graduate students in important aspects of the CJI’s core work through fellowships, research assistantships, hands-on clinical experiences, internships, labor-climate undergraduate and graduate courses, and more.