Community Conversation: Climate Action Youth

The Prince George's County Office of Human Rights and the Prince George's County Memorial Library System are excited to host the student members of the Prince George's County Public School's Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) Ad Hoc Committee. About CCAP In 2022, Prince George's County and Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) developed a national model to combat climate change for our students' and communities' futures. The PGCPS Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), developed by 22 diverse climate experts, is their roadmap for change and call to action to empower our students, staff, partners, and administration to work together to transform our future on an economic, social, and environmental level. The PGCPS CCAP recommendations were adopted by the Board of Education, and the Superintendent was charged with the implementation of the eight priority recommendations and supporting actions, sub-recommendations, implementation timelines, environmental justice and lab or considerations, financing opportunities, responsible parties, and resources needed. The eight priority areas are: Support Environmental Justice Through Climate Curriculum, Training and Partnerships; Reduce Carbon Footprint from PGCPS Buildings; Commit to Renewable Energy Sources for a Net Zero Emissions Future; Commit to Low Carbon School Transportation; Reduce Food Waste and Grow Climate-Friendly Food; Commit to Sustainable Materials Management and Procurement; Commit to Climate Resilient Land Management; and Lead by Example to Support Transformational Change The Climate Change Action Plan Ad Hoc Committee is a resource to PGCPS and its efforts to successfully implement the CCAP. The committee includes members with diverse expertise and broad experiences across the eight recommendation areas. The Ad Hoc Committee acts as a force multiplier for CCAP implementation, providing guidance, recommendations, and resources to the PGCPS Superintendent, the Director of Sustainability and Resilience, and the CCAP Operational Committee, among other partners. The Ad Hoc Committee provides an opportunity to engage more stakeholders in the process and deepens the investment in the success of the CCAP, and by extension, PGCPS and the students we serve. The committee led by PGCPS Board Members, consists of 10-15 members with expertise from the eight focus areas, including students.