Climate Change Education Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
- Committees
- Education and Workforce Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Apr 21, 2026
Bottom line
This bill establishes a comprehensive federal program to integrate climate change education into various learning environments nationwide, aiming to enhance climate literacy and prepare a workforce for the green economy.
What it actually does
This bill requires the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a Climate Change Education Program within its Office of Education. The program aims to increase climate literacy across the United States by providing formal and nonformal learning opportunities for all ages, emphasizing actionable information related to climate change solutions, green technologies, and career training. It authorizes $50 million annually for grants to state and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, professional associations, and youth corps, with a significant portion of funds directed towards environmental justice communities.
Proponents argue
Proponents argue that the bill addresses a critical national need for widespread climate literacy, citing overwhelming scientific evidence for human-induced climate change and existing gaps in public and educator understanding. They contend that empowering individuals with knowledge and skills related to climate solutions, green technologies, and career pathways will reduce fear, encourage proactive action, and prepare the next generation for the social and economic challenges and opportunities arising from a changing climate. Furthermore, supporters highlight that the bill leverages NOAA's established expertise and expands upon successful existing environmental education programs.
Opponents contend
Opponents might argue that climate change education is best managed at the state or local level, expressing concerns about potential federal overreach into curriculum development. Some may question the necessity or cost-effectiveness of a new federal program, particularly given the authorized $50 million annual appropriation. Others might contend that the program's explicit focus on 'climate justice' and 'environmental justice communities' introduces specific political agendas into educational content, which they may view as inappropriate for federal funding.
The bill is relatively concise and clearly structured, making it accessible for a quick yet thorough review by an informed reader.
Section 4
Establishment of Climate Change Education Program
This section mandates the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a Climate Change Education Program within one year of the bill's enactment. The program's core objectives are to enhance climate literacy, apply scientific discoveries to create learning opportunities for all ages and diverse backgrounds, and provide actionable information to promote new technologies, jobs, and programs related to climate change, adaptation, mitigation, resilience, and justice.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that establishing a dedicated program within NOAA, an agency with scientific expertise and an existing environmental literacy program, is the most effective way to address the national deficit in climate literacy and ensure that education is grounded in sound science.
Critics contend
Critics might argue that creating a new federal program could lead to bureaucratic inefficiencies or duplicate efforts that could be handled more effectively by existing state or local initiatives, or through private sector innovation.
Tradeoffs
The provision balances the need for a centralized, scientifically robust approach to climate education with potential concerns about federal overreach into educational domains traditionally managed at state and local levels.
Section 5(a)(1)
Grants for State and Local Educational Agencies
This provision establishes a grant program for State educational agencies (SEAs), in partnership with local educational agencies (LEAs) and local nonprofit organizations, to develop and implement climate literacy plans for grades 4 through 12. These plans must align with State education standards and aim to ensure high school graduates are climate literate. Projects funded for SEAs include educator training, integration of climate concepts into various subject areas, curriculum development, applied learning projects focused on green school features, and incorporating climate mitigation into career and technical education pathways.
Section 5(a)(2)
Grants for Institutions of Higher Education
This section authorizes grants and cooperative agreements for institutions of higher education (IHEs) and their networks. The purpose is to engage faculty and students in applied climate research and to deliver direct services to local communities regarding climate mitigation and adaptation issues. Priority is given to projects that foster long-term campus-community partnerships, demonstrate scalability, involve significant student input, are inclusive, and promote equitable outcomes.
Section 5(d)(3)
Targeted Funding for Environmental Justice Communities
This subsection mandates that 40 percent of all amounts allocated for grants and cooperative agreements under paragraphs (2) (Institutions of Higher Education) and (4) (Youth Corps Organizations) of subsection (a) shall be directed into environmental justice communities. This ensures that a significant portion of the funding for applied climate research, community services, and youth engagement directly benefits communities disproportionately affected by environmental and health hazards.
Section 7
Authorization of Appropriations
This section authorizes an appropriation of $50,000,000 to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2032. This provides the financial backing for NOAA to establish and operate the Climate Change Education Program and award the various grants outlined in the Act.
This subsection specifies that the Administrator of NOAA may only award grants directly to local educational agencies (LEAs) if the total amounts appropriated for grants and cooperative agreements under the entire program for that fiscal year exceed $5,000,000.
Section 5(c)
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice to prioritize funding for larger, more impactful entities (State agencies) or to ensure a minimum program scale before distributing funds to a wider array of smaller entities (local agencies). It's a pragmatic approach to resource allocation.
Case for: Proponents would argue that this threshold ensures that direct LEA grants are only feasible when the overall program is sufficiently funded, preventing the fragmentation of limited resources and ensuring that larger, more systemic initiatives through SEAs are prioritized in leaner years.
Case against: Critics might argue that this threshold could delay or prevent direct funding to local communities that may have urgent needs or innovative proposals, especially if overall appropriations consistently fall below the $5 million mark.
Estimated impact: This provision directly affects the eligibility of local educational agencies to receive direct federal grants, potentially limiting their access to funds in years with lower overall appropriations.
This subsection establishes a minimum grant amount of $1,000,000 for any grant awarded to, or cooperative agreement established with, an entity under paragraph (1) (State and Local Educational Agencies) if the total amounts appropriated for grants and cooperative agreements under the entire program for that fiscal year exceed $5,000,000.
Section 5(e)
Why it matters:This is a common legislative mechanism to ensure that funded projects receive sufficient resources to be effective, preventing the dilution of funds across too many small, potentially less impactful, initiatives. It's a practical measure for grant efficacy.
Case for: Proponents would argue that a minimum grant amount ensures that recipients, particularly State educational agencies, receive substantial funding to undertake meaningful, systemic climate education reforms and projects, rather than being burdened with small grants that may not cover administrative costs or lead to significant impact.
Case against: Critics might contend that a high minimum grant amount could exclude smaller, innovative local initiatives or partnerships that could be effective with less funding, thereby limiting the diversity of projects supported.
Estimated impact: This provision ensures that significant federal resources are directed towards substantial climate education initiatives within state and local educational systems, potentially limiting the number of recipients but increasing the scale of individual projects.
These findings cite Section 4002(a) of the America COMPETES Act (33 U.S.C. 893a(a)), which requires NOAA to conduct, develop, support, promote, and coordinate formal and informal educational activities at all levels, and acknowledge NOAA's existing Environmental Literacy Program established in 2005.
Section 2(11) and (12)
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice to establish the legal and historical basis for the proposed legislation, demonstrating that the new program aligns with existing agency authority and builds upon prior successful initiatives. It provides a legal and programmatic 'hook' for the bill.
Case for: Proponents use these findings to demonstrate that the Climate Change Education Program is not a novel or inappropriate expansion of NOAA's mission, but rather a logical and authorized extension of its established expertise in environmental education.
Case against: Critics might argue that simply citing existing authority does not automatically justify the scale or specific focus of the new program, especially if they believe the existing Environmental Literacy Program is sufficient or that the new program deviates too far from NOAA's core mission.
Estimated impact: These findings provide the foundational justification for NOAA's role in climate change education, bolstering the legal and programmatic legitimacy of the entire Act.