Climate Jobs Institute

A report from ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute is referenced in this Op-Ed about energy strategy and unionized tradespeople in New Jersey.

“55 percent of Americans who are registered to vote strongly oppose data centers being built in the community that they live in.” said a researcher from ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute in a Labor Notes panel, providing perspective on the need for jobs that are good for workers and communities.

“The labor movement is not only about the eight-hour workday, making sure you have healthcare or retirement … it’s also about the broader social issues: affordable housing, clean air, and clean water,” says Melissa Shetler, extension associate at ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute, who helped develop a clean-energy curriculum.

“How far the industry goes depends on how active a role different policymakers take in understanding and promoting the material in the right way,” says Rohan Palacios, Training and Education Support Specialist at ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute, about the mass timber industry and a new report from the institute.

Melissa Shetler, senior training & education associate at ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute, contrasts typical opinions of parents and young adults about the desirability of beginning a career in a skilled trade.

Melissa Shetler, senior training & education associate at ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute, comments on the increasing trend of young adults seeking careers in the skilled trades through apprenticeships, describing young adults’ motivations and their parents’ reactions.

Policy recommendations in a report from ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute, called “A Bold Vision for Climate Jobs in Oregon,” will inform the new Climate Jobs Oregon coalition of labor unions as it advocates for a union-built transition to clean energy

Fourteen steps to “confront intertwined climate, energy and affordability challenges” in a report from ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute will inform the new Climate Jobs New Jersey coalition of labor unions as it advocates for a union-built transition to clean energy.

Lara Skinner, executive director of ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute, said “taken together, if these recommendations are implemented, they will deliver a clean energy economy that benefits working people across New Jersey,” as she discussed a report from the institute and commented on the new Climate Jobs New Jersey coalition.

“We’re proud to partner with Michigan Climate Jobs on this new report that details how Michigan unions can drive the development of a clean energy economy that delivers for working families,” said ILR Climate Jobs Institute Executive Director Lara Skinner about the launch of Michigan Climate Jobs.

“This plan provides a blueprint on how current and future union workers can build our growing clean energy economy in a way that benefits all working people,” said ILR Climate Jobs Institute Executive Director Lara Skinner about a plan co-developed by the institute for the Michigan Jobs Climate Coalition.

A report co-authored by ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute about working conditions at Kawasaki railcar manufacturing plants is referenced in this article about a lawsuit over the environmental and labor impact of the Micron chipmaking plant being constructed near Syracuse, New York.

Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute, describes the institute’s recent “Climate Jobs New Jersey: Moving Towards a Resilient Future” report and comments on the institute’s positive working relationship with the Climate Jobs New Jersey coalition of unions.

J. Mijin Cha, fellow at ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute, participated as an expert respondent in the Heatmap Insiders Survey.

Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute, is quoted about energy pricing and policy in this opinion piece about wind power.

“One of the main reasons electricity prices are increasing in the U.S. is because we’re not building and producing enough electricity,” said Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute, in this article about U.S. policy on wind power and energy.

Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute, comments on offshore wind project suspensions, noting that similar projects abroad have not faced major security issues.

Iris Packman, senior research & policy development associate at ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute, discusses why construction workers in New York’s renewable energy industry may travel or relocate for work and comments on the importance of Project Labor Agreements. The article also cites the institute’s NYS Solar Workforce study.

Researchers at the ILR School’s Climate Jobs Institute say that despite shortfalls in progress since the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the state can still meet those goals – while improving working conditions and equity.

This article describes an upcoming Climate Jobs Institute event on Sept. 25 that will include several speakers and unveil a research report from the institute that recommends ten policy interventions that will help New York meet its climate goals.

Now in its fifth year, the 2024-25 New York at Work report draws on ILR expertise, research-based data and policy analysis on a broad range of key issues affecting the state’s workers, unions, communities and employers.

"Offshore wind is particularly well-suited to New York because most of NY’s electricity is consumed in NYC and it’s difficult to get power into the city from upstate," said Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute.

“We were building a whole industry … and the problem with shutting down the project is that it really sends a signal to the developers in the market — like, what certainty is there?” said Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute.

“Every job will be affected by climate change,” says Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute. “We look at every sector of the economy, and every sector will have to change. This isn’t some little transition.”