Floods. Droughts. Extreme heat. Rising sea levels. Preparing for such natural hazards is the goal of nine training programs launched on 1 August with funding from the NOAA Climate-Ready Workforce for Coastal and Great Lakes States, Tribes, and Territories Initiative. The programs, which were selected from 95 applicants, will receive amounts ranging from $1.7 million to $9.8 million, for a total of $60 million. The initiative is part of a $3.3 billion investment allocated to NOAA through the Inflation Reduction Act to increase climate change preparedness in coastal communities.
Over the next four years, the programs will train and place people in jobs that help restore ecosystems, develop green infrastructure, elevate buildings from flooding, and more. The awardees will serve communities identified as disadvantaged by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, launched in 2022 by the Biden administration. Some programs will target graduate students, and others will look for...
