Climate Stewards
Volunteers committed to addressing climate change
Climate Stewards Training Program
Join the Cornell Climate Stewards!
2025 Application now OPEN for Enrollment!
Cornell Climate Steward Program Mission: Train volunteers who help villages, towns, and cities become “Climate Smart Communities” by planning and implementing climate change mitigation, adaptation, and education projects at the local level.
Four Part Series In-person or via Zoom
- Monday, November 24, 2025 Roswell Park Community Center (907 Michigan St. Buffalo)
- Saturday, December 6, 2025 Open Buffalo 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
- Friday, December 12, 2025 Village of Lancaster 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
- Tuesday, December 16, 2025 Final project presentations
Training is Free! Thanks to support from Cornell Climate Stewards program and NYS DEC.
REGISTER
The Climate Stewards training consists of 12 modules taught over 12 weeks. Training is offered in-person or hybrid. The first 10 sessions in the series will cover specific climate change topics, with additional outside readings, videos and group activities designed to develop skills needed to lead and educate their communities in climate science, adaption, and mitigation.
- Module 1: Orientation
- Module 2: Background Science
- Module 3: Impacts Part 1
- Module 4: Impacts Part 2
- Module 5: Working with Local Communities
- Module 6: Intro to Mitigation
- Module 7: Local Mitigation Strategies
- Module 8: Intro to Adaptation
- Module 9: Local Adaptation Strategies
- Module 10: Effective Science Communication
- Module 11: Volunteer Project Planning
- Module 12: Volunteer Project Presentations
Throughout the course, trainees will design an individual or group community action project that they will present and discuss in the final two class sessions. This program’s curriculum was developed by Cornell University in partnership with CCE-Monroe.
Climate Smart Communities
Climate Smart Communities (CSC) is a multi-state agency effort led by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC). CSC outlines concrete action lists of steps communities can take to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, adapt for a changing climate, and become more resilient in the face of new environmental challenges. Climate Stewards volunteers will use the CSC action list to determine what municipalities have already done and opportunities to take action.
Last updated November 21, 2025