Trump cut their climate jobs. This secretive network found them new ones.
Climate Reserve is quietly building a lifeline for America's lost climate workforce, one job at a time.
In the wake of President Donald Trump's administration slashing funds for America’s scientific institutions, a secretive network called the Climate Reserve has emerged to help climate experts find new jobs. Last year, the U.S. reversed course on its scientific investments, scrapping billions in research grants and firing thousands of federal employees, leaving many climate professionals in shock and without options.
Aparna Shrivastava, a former senior climate official, found herself conversing with dozens of experts who had lost their jobs or funding but still wanted to continue their work. The conversations eventually led to the creation of the Climate Reserve, an initiative backed by tens of millions of dollars, with Shrivastava at the helm.
This network functions through a worldwide group of experts who identify critical climate work that has been left in limbo and find a place for it to continue, even without federal support. So far, the Climate Reserve has funded more than two dozen new positions for climate experts, who now work at nonprofits and institutions across the U.S. The group also resuscitated several federal projects and is involved in international work, such as mapping sea level rise on islands in Panama and measuring greenhouse gas emissions in African countries.
The Climate Reserve aims to provide a "parachute" for former federal workers, helping them land in a safe place with their specialized knowledge and relationships. Unlike traditional hiring or grant funding systems, this group emphasizes collaboration over competition, focusing on the broader goals of the climate movement and sharing resources and expertise across organizations.
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