Former Vice President Al Gore and The Climate Reality Project to train next generation of climate leaders in New York City

The Climate Reality Project, a nonprofit climate action organization founded by former Vice President Al Gore, is proud to announce the next Climate Reality Leadership Corps training, to be held in New York City on April 12-14, 2024.

The training will explore the impacts of the climate crisis on the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States from Maine to Washington, DC. This is the 55th Climate Reality Leadership Corps training and the first ever held in New York City. Climate Reality’s trainings are designed to educate and empower advocates with the knowledge and tools necessary to drive effective climate solutions in their communities and around the world.

The training will focus on the critical financial reforms needed for a just and fair shift from fossil fuels to clean energy, the pursuit of climate justice, the strategies for building resilient communities through clean energy and green jobs, and the misinformation from the fossil fuel industry that threatens climate action. Attendees will leave the training understanding the importance of effectively communicating the realities of the climate crisis, and will be equipped with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to take climate action in their own communities.

“After a year that saw the hottest temperatures in recorded history, wildfire smoke that choked cities throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and multiple massive rainfall events that flooded communities throughout the region, we urgently need to work together to drive real climate action,” said Climate Reality Project founder and chairman, former Vice President Al Gore. "As a global hub for finance, media, innovation, and activism, New York City is the perfect location to bring together thousands of people from all walks of life to turbocharge grassroots efforts to solve the climate crisis.”

The event will include a distinguished roster of speakers who’ve made notable contributions to climate action, including:

• Nicole Ansari-Cox, CEO of Artists Rising and an internationally working actor, director, writer, and producer of TV, film, and theater.
• Kristy Drutman, founder of Browngirl Green and a speaker, consultant, media producer, and environmental educator working at the intersections of media, diversity, and environmentalism.
• New York State Senator Pete Harckham, one of the state legislature's stalwart environmental leaders.
• Jerome Foster II, the youngest White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council member in US history and the Co-Executive Director at Waic Up.
• Dr. Gavin Schmidt, a distinguished NASA researcher, climate scientist, and director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
• Dr. Rosina Bierbaum, the Chair of the Scientific and Executive Advisory Panel, Global Environment Facility, and a professor at both the University of Michigan and the University of Maryland.
• Alexandria Villaseñor, an internationally recognized youth activist, author, and speaker at three UN Conference of Parties, NATO, and the World Economic Forum.
• Amy Westervelt, an award-winning investigative climate journalist and executive editor of Drilled, a multimedia newsroom focused on climate accountability.
• Yessenia Funes, editor-at-large for the nonprofit magazine Atmos and journalist covering the intersection of climate and environmental activism.
• Sheila Foster, J.D., a leading scholar on environmental justice and member of the New York City Panel on Climate Change.
• Susie Essman, an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer and television producer.
• Donnel Baird, the founder and CEO of BlocPower.

Speakers will share the latest tactics and strategies in climate activism, including how to fight disinformation, best practices in funding local climate solutions, and learning how to build successful and effective climate campaigns. Attendees will also have numerous opportunities to share their experiences, build their contacts, and interact with climate change-makers from their regions.

Participants will join Climate Reality’s global network of nearly 50,000 climate advocates around the world, including business leaders, elected officials, entrepreneurs, concerned citizens, and students dedicated to bold, ambitious climate action.

Applications for the NYC Climate Reality Leadership Corps training are now open! Visit https://www.climaterealityproject.org/new-york to find out more.

###