North Carolina launching Climate Action Corps

North Carolina is launching a Climate Action Corps to boost the state’s resiliency to climate change.

Governor Roy Cooper is promoting the new service effort that will enlist 25 members across the state to work on projects such as community gardens and planting trees to address so-called “urban heat islands,” areas covered with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat

They will also work to protect the North Carolina coast, building up projects such as living shorelines that can protect communities from storm damage.

North Carolina will become one of 10 states with a climate corps.

The effort originally started in California in 2020. Now, President Biden is also launching a federal program called the American Climate Corps.

Volunteer NC will run the program through three existing AmeriCorps partners including Conserving Carolina, Conservation Corps North Carolina, and Conservation Trust for North Carolina.

“This collaboration is to have specific roles for our 25 members that are going to be part of the Climate Action Corps out in the communities across our great state to do specific work with climate resilience and mitigation strategies and supporting towns and cities and implementing climate action plans,” said Briles Johnson, executive director of VolunteerNC.

Service members will earn $30,000 and be eligible for a scholarship at the end of their service.

Applications are open and they’re hoping to get members on the ground starting next month.

Projects will take place in areas threatened by climate change that do not already have AmeriCorps programs in place.