There is no greater challenge facing our nation and our planet than the climate crisis. That’s why President Biden laid out the boldest climate agenda in our nation’s history—one that will spur an equitable clean energy economy and cement America on a path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

As we celebrate Earth Month throughout April, and Earth Day on April 22, we look at the role of the Department of Energy in combating the climate crisis, with the powerhouses of the National Laboratories, research funding, and expert scientists bringing everyone to the table to make sure no one is left behind as we invest in cutting-edge clean energy tech and infrastructure improvements.  

Our unparalleled strength, ability to enact solutions, and putting the best available research and science in action are a mighty response to restoring our earth and immediately addressing the climate emergency, creating millions of good-paying union jobs along the way.  

Earth Day Special! Energy Justice and Innovation Live Q&A: Join us live on Instagram on @argonne’s account, Thursday April 22 at 12:30 p.m. Central/1:30 p.m. ET to learn about DOE’s role in the Justice40 Initiative and in driving innovation to the market.

Panel Discussion on International Clean Energy Collaboration to Drive Deep Decarbonization: Tuesday April 20 watch Deputy Secretary Turk here at 9:30 a.m. ET. 

Road to COP26: From Climate Ambition to Climate Action: Tuesday April 20 watch Deputy Secretary Turk here at 11:00 a.m. ET.

Scaling Net-Zero Infrastructure: Climate, Jobs, and Investment Benefits of Deploying CO2 Transport and Storage: Tuesday April 20 watch Deputy Secretary Turk here at 12:15 p.m. ET.

Restore the Earth Instagram Live Q&A with Climate Scientists: Join us live on Instagram on @Energy's account, Tuesday April 20 at 1 p.m. MDT/ 3 p.m. ET and get your questions about climate science careers answered from leading experts from DOE and NASA. 

How Ocean-Based Solutions Contribute to Net Zero: Tuesday April 20 watch Secretary Granholm here at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Industry Growth Forum with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory: April 20-22, join cleantech entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts for this virtual event (register here) to build relationships, showcase innovative technologies, and identify disruptive business solutions.  

Launch of the Global Power System Transformation Consortium: Wednesday April 21 watch Secretary Granholm here at 8:00 a.m. ET. 

Panel Discussion on Just Transitions to a Global Clean Energy Future: Wednesday April 21 watch Secretary Granholm here at 9:00 a.m. ET. 

Secretary Granholm at EarthX: This Earth Day, Secretary Granholm will speak at the annual EarthX conference on DOE’s role in delivering the solutions to address the climate crisis. Remarks will be livestreamed as part of a 10-day event at EarthX TV at 7:30 p.m. ET. 

CNN Town Hall: The Climate Crisis. At a televised town hall April 23, 10 p.m. ET, officials from across the Administration including Secretary Granholm will discuss President Biden’s government-wide approach to addressing the climate crisis. Watch live on CNN.

Take a Live Virtual Tour of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Don’t miss your chance to see how we are  demonstrating clean energy technologies, reducing waste, and eliminating atmospheric pollution on a live guided virtual tour of NREL. Tours are available with registration in advance on April 19, 21, and 23.  

Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Action for Earth Activities: Take "Action for Earth" this Earth Day through the Lab’s virtual trivia night on April 21 and an online viewing of an Earth Day documentary April 22. Or, compete in the Lab’s Earth Day Word Search, with prizes on the line for the fastest to complete the search. 

National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Elementary School Poster Contest: Each year the National Energy Technology Laboratory hosts an Earth Day poster contest for students in grades 1-5 surrounding the Lab’s Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Albany, OR research laboratory sites.  The contest emphasizes the importance of recycling, conserving energy and improving air and water quality.

Tune in to virtual events from Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: Take a prairie walk, learn about dragonflies, and find out more about sustainability. Register in advance for these free events happening April 19 – April 22.

Photo & Haiku: Congratulations to the winners of the Department of Energy’s annual photography and haiku contests! See below for the winning photos in our photo gallery. Employees were invited to submit their own photos in the following categories: Conservation, Community, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Resilience, and Comprehensive.

Our winning Earth Day haiku (a short, descriptive form of poetry) by Jay Simonson: 

The earth is alive.

It needs our help to survive.

Let's renew, revive. 

10 Ways to be More Sustainable: From driving less to being more conscientious of our product choices; we can build more sustainable habits into our daily routines. Leading up to Earth Day, Argonne National Laboratory will share 10 ways to be more sustainable on its Twitter channel @argonne.  

Learn about Women in STEM Careers who Restore the Earth: From climate scientists to wind energy researchers to marine biologists, there’s countless examples of women who put their STEM skills to work to save the planet and restore the earth. Visit the Department of Energy’s STEM Rising: Women @ Energy series to see profiles including their STEM inspiration, advice for others entering their career fields, and why they love their jobs: www.energy.gov/womeninSTEM 

Watch and Learn: Check out our Earth Day video playlist and join us on our path to an equitable clean energy economy and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 so we can all enjoy this amazing planet for generations to come.