Council aims to make Providence the first ‘Climate Jobs City’ - WPRI.com

Council aims to make Providence the first ‘Climate Jobs City’ | WPRI.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Providence City Council is taking steps to establish the capital as the country’s first “Climate Jobs City.”

City councilors passed a resolution during its meeting on Thursday night that would do so by “enacting climate policies that ensure renewable energy, workforce development, decarbonization of buildings, and green infrastructure, among other goals.”

The resolution, sponsored by Councilor Sue AnderBois, also mentions including stakeholder voices in the private industry, labor movement, environmental movement, and racial justice movement, in addition to city residents, when making decisions.

It focuses on making sure emergency preparedness programs and alert systems are “language-appropriate,” so all community members are protected in the event of things like flooding or extreme heat.

There’s also a focus on mobility throughout the city, with an emphasis on transit-oriented development. Plus, schools would incorporate climate literacy and environmental education into learning.

Additionally, the city would work to ensure there’s equal access to “open and recreational space that are free from air, water, and soil pollution,” while working to increase the availability of qualified cooling centers, public pools and urban forests.

On Wednesday, the White House launched the American Climate Corps, which officials say will serve as a major green jobs training program.

The program will employ more than 20,000 young adults to build trails, plant trees, help install solar panels and do other work to boost conservation and help prevent catastrophic wildfires.

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, had also encouraged Biden to create a climate corps, saying in a letter on Monday that “the climate crisis demands a whole-of-government response at an unprecedented scale.’’

Alexandra Leslie ( aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on X, formerly known as Twitter and on