The Climate Initiative

The Climate Initiative (TCI) is a nonprofit organization born in a small coastal Maine town on the forefront of climate change (the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world's oceans) where the local land trust organization implemented youth climate education programs that engaged communities and influenced decision-makers to take action. In recognition of this work, the program was awarded the Gulf of Maine Council’s 2019 Visionary Award. Our goal is to replicate and expand on this past success to catalyze climate action with youth across the U.S. and beyond. We believe that youth – the generation most at risk from climate change – are particularly well suited to solve the climate crisis. Since opinions in children seem less susceptible to the influence of a particular worldview or political context, a grassroots youth movement would be able to legitimately engage political, business, and community leaders on tough climate issues. Youth, including a focus on middle and high school students, have the power to shift politics, stimulate solutions, and ultimately be agents of change to solve the climate challenge. Our approach is unique among existing efforts: we are a non-partisan, solutions-based organization pushing for local, tangible solutions to a global challenge. Our mission is to empower youth voices for climate action. Though we have just started our journey toward TCI’s goal of reaching 10 million youth by 2025, we have a strong team in place, a successful model to replicate, and a strategic plan co-developed with a top tier consulting firm that envisions our path forward.