The Climate Jobs Institute (CJI) at the University of Illinois conducts high-quality empirical research at the intersections of climate resilience, clean energy transition, economic and labor market impacts, and climate justice. Our goal is to produce research supporting the State of Illinois’s clean energy transition goals and contributing to the broader academic field of economic and labor market impacts of decarbonization.
CJI is one of the first academic institutes dedicated to the study of economic and labor market impacts of decarbonization. At the University of Illinois, CJI leverages pioneering interdisciplinary research related to the environment, clean energy, economics, and public policy.
Established within the School of Labor and Employment Relations by the Illinois State Legislature, CJI is part of the 2022 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). The legislation establishes CJI as a centerpiece of Illinois’ clean energy transition, focused on research and educational programing that support the state’s transition to a strong, equitable decarbonized economy.
To create interdisciplinary research, we will collaborate with related Institutes and Centers at the University of Illinois. The research will inform policy recommendations, appear in academic publications, and create external funding proposals related to clean energy initiatives.
We will publicly disseminate research recommendations via a wide range of outlets, including public policy reports, top tier peer-reviewed academic articles, interactive web platforms, and other outreach and education programs for labor, communities, law makers, and media.