The Climate Democracy Initiative (CDI) was founded on a simple but urgent truth: climate change is not just an environmental crisis, it is also a governance crisis. Across the country, people are facing rapid environmental, economic, and political changes without the resources, representation, or institutional trust needed to respond.We believe that lasting climate solutions require more than funding and infrastructure. They require public trust, local leadership, and systems that center the people most affected. CDI works at the intersection of climate and democracy to help communities reclaim decision-making power, shape fair outcomes, and build the civic muscle needed for long-term resilience.
Our focus is threefold:
We equip rural communities to lead energy development decisions, negotiate community benefits, and prepare for long-term resilience.
We partner with local schools to build the next generation of environmental leaders through hands-on civics and sustainability education.
We strengthen public understanding of climate and democracy as shared, actionable issues to counter misinformation and elevate trusted community voices.
