A community-rooted fellowship developing the next generation of climate problem-solvers in the Greater Washington region and building solutions that last.
Emerging Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) is a platform bringing together promising young leaders across sectors to collaborate on finding solutions to climate and sustainability issues.
The 2026 cohort will focus on solving issues in the Greater Washington area through an EPA-funded fellowship.
Leveraging their skills and expertise, the first cohort developed policy recommendations to inform conversations at COP28, which was held in Dubai in November 2023.
We believe the communities most affected by climate change hold the knowledge to solve it. ELCA exists to resource, connect, and amplify their leadership.
THREE INTERCONNECTED PROGRAM TRACKS
Adaptation
Capitol Heights, MD
Fellows research flood risks and infrastructure gaps, co-designing a community-informed resilience policy proposal with local government and residents.
Mitigation
Ward 8, Washington DC
Fellows analyze barriers to energy efficiency access, developing policy recommendations to reduce energy burden in low-income households.
Security & Resilience
Bailey's Crossroads, VA
Fellows co-develop a heatwave preparedness framework with Fairfax County, prioritizing vulnerable residents and strengthening emergency coordination.
How fellows work
Conduct community stakeholder consultations
Research local vulnerabilities and policy gaps
Develop community-informed policy proposals
Present findings at the ELCA Summit
Disseminate materials to regional stakeholders
What partners gain
Direct connection to emerging community leaders
Co-design opportunities for local solutions
Policy proposals grounded in lived experience
Amplification through Globally's global network
Shared credit and visibility at ELCA Summit
This program is built for partnership.
ELCA fellows don’t work in isolation, they work with you. Whether you’re a community organization, government agency, or public health partner, we’re looking for collaborators who can open doors to the communities we serve, provide technical guidance, and help shape solutions that reflect real local needs. We bring the fellows, the framework, and the platform. You bring the ground-level relationships and expertise that make the work real.
In 2023, the first cohort of ELCA Fellows developed actionable policy proposals on four crucial areas containing bold solutions to the climate crisis.
Protecting our most vulnerable communities and our most critical systems from extreme weather and biodiversity loss. Ensuring global food system resiliency.
Ensuring equitable access to climate finance. Increasing access to capital dollars and international financial resources.
Developing and deploying new technologies to scale renewable energy and transform agri-tech, water use, and food production.
Supporting vulnerable communities rebuild after natural disasters. Building resiliency to the consequences that will arise from the unavoidable risks of climate change.
Meet the Fellows
In the lead-up to COP28, the 2023 ELCA Fellows worked together with their peers across sectors to produce effective policy proposals that can inform and influence future climate policy leaders and stakeholders.