Develop a Climate- and Sustainability-Focused Workforce
President Biden's Executive Order 14057 on catalyzing American clean energy industries and jobs through Federal sustainability and accompanying Federal Sustainability Plan (collectively referred to as "The Federal Sustainability Plan") outlines an ambitious path to mainstream sustainability within the Federal workforce. The Plan's elements build internal capacity through engagement, education, and training on Federal sustainability, climate adaptation, and environmental stewardship. Federal agencies also will incorporate sustainability and climate adaptation into their human capital planning, including optimal staffing, training, and associated resources.
Key Actions
Federal agencies will foster a culture of sustainability and climate action across all disciplines and functions and encourage outstanding performance, including incorporation of sustainability objectives in the performance plans of agency executives, managers, and staffs, where appropriate.
- In January 2022, the Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer launched an interactive speaker series for Federal employees to hear from dynamic and thought-provoking leaders and innovators within the climate and sustainability space. Through this series, employees will enhance their sustainability and climate literacy, learn more about the President's Federal Sustainability Plan and their critical role in the shift to more sustainable and resilient operations.
Federal agencies will integrate achievement of sustainability goals and climate adaptation and resilience into agency human capital planning to ensure they have the staff, training, and resources to effectively meet Federal Sustainability Plan goals.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will identify opportunities for including or expanding environmental sustainability and climate adaptation training content in existing Federal training programs, including OPM leadership training programs, as well as strategies for incorporating sustainability into performance plans.
- In September 2022, the Biden Administration launched a first-of-its-kind climate adaptation training for Federal program acquisition managers. The training provides a high-level overview on how to manage climate risks, including how climate change hazards may impact Federal programs and what steps they can take to prepare for these impacts. While the training is tailored for a community of approximately 1,500 Federal program acquisition managers, over 250,000 Federal Acquisition Institute users can take the course.
Agencies will develop strategies, identify relevant programs, and outline actions to bolster employee engagement and training to meet goals. Training will include the subject of equity in climate resiliency and sustainability.
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