Occupation · SOC 19-2041.01
Climate Change Policy Analysts
Research and analyze policy developments related to climate change. Make climate-related recommendations for actions such as legislation, awareness campaigns, or fundraising approaches.
Median wage
$80,060
$50,130–$134,830
Projected growth
+4.4%
Average growth
Annual openings
400
per year
Employed (US)
84,930
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
725 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningWritingSpeakingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisTime ManagementSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingInstructingService OrientationNegotiationMathematicsLearning StrategiesCoordinationManagement of Personnel ResourcesScienceOperations AnalysisOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignProgrammingQuality Control AnalysisTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Law and GovernmentEnglish LanguageMathematicsCommunications and MediaEngineering and TechnologyGeographyPhysicsAdministration and ManagementTransportationBiologyChemistrySociology and AnthropologyEconomics and AccountingComputers and ElectronicsEducation and TrainingAdministrativePersonnel and Human ResourcesPsychologyHistory and ArcheologyForeign LanguagePublic Safety and SecurityCustomer and Personal ServiceProduction and ProcessingPhilosophy and TheologyMechanicalDesignBuilding and ConstructionSales and MarketingTelecommunicationsFood ProductionTherapy and CounselingMedicine and DentistryFine Arts
Technology & tools
C++Community Climate System Model CCSMESRI ArcGIS softwareFerretFormula translation/translator FORTRANGeographic information system GIS systemsGrid analysis and display system GrADSInterface definition language IDLLinuxMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordNCAR Command Language NCLNorth American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program NARCCAP data tablesPerlPythonRSASSun Microsystems JavaThe MathWorks MATLABUNIXUnidata Integrated Data Viewer IDVUnidata Network common data form NetCDFWeb browser software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesAnalyzing Data or InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersWorking with ComputersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkProcessing InformationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsThinking CreativelyIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsDocumenting/Recording InformationEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationDeveloping and Building TeamsScheduling Work and ActivitiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersSelling or Influencing OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesTraining and Teaching OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersCoaching and Developing OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicStaffing Organizational UnitsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesAssisting and Caring for OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsControlling Machines and ProcessesPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Climate-related research studies — gather and organize from government agencies, research laboratories, and academic repositories under senior analyst supervision.Existing policies and legislation — review and annotate to identify potential environmental impacts using structured checklists provided by the team.Analytical support materials — compile data summaries and literature inventories to assist in drafting policy briefs on renewable energy and energy efficiency.Climate science findings — read and summarize peer-reviewed and government reports to support senior analysts in stakeholder briefings.Spreadsheet and office suite software — apply to organize climate datasets and format preliminary analytical outputs for team review.Policy brief drafts — contribute discrete sections under direct guidance, following established organizational style and citation standards.Geographic information system tools — operate under supervision to produce basic spatial visualizations of climate impact data for internal use.Legislative and regulatory databases — search using information retrieval software to locate relevant statutes, rules, and precedents for policy review tasks.Public meeting materials — prepare presentation slides and background documents under direction to support senior staff at governmental forums.Active listening and note-taking — apply during interagency meetings and technical briefings to capture key points for subsequent team synthesis.
developing
Policy briefs on climate change and energy efficiency — draft and revise with reduced oversight, integrating multiple research sources into coherent analytical narratives.Climate-related research findings — analyze and distill into accessible summaries tailored for legislative staff, regulatory agencies, or environmental advocacy groups.Existing environmental policies — evaluate systematically to identify gaps, conflicts, and unintended consequences using established analytical frameworks.Proposed policy modifications on fuel use and transportation — develop initial recommendations grounded in current climate science and regulatory precedent.Analytical or scientific software — utilize to conduct quantitative analyses of emissions scenarios and model policy intervention outcomes.Written memoranda, study reports, and testimonies — produce for government or environmental organizations, adhering to agency standards and statutory requirements.Climate data visualizations and geographic information system outputs — interpret and incorporate into reports to communicate spatial risk patterns to mixed audiences.Stakeholder presentations — deliver at public interest and governmental meetings, responding competently to technical and policy questions from diverse audiences.Time management and project prioritization — apply across concurrent research and policy assignments within a regulatory or consulting environment.Interagency working groups — coordinate participation and follow-up actions, ensuring alignment between analytical outputs and broader policy timelines.
proficient
Complex legislative recommendations on climate change and environmental management — formulate autonomously, drawing on comprehensive knowledge of policy principles, regulatory programs, and scientific evidence.Multi-source climate research portfolios — synthesize across government, academic, and NGO literature to produce authoritative briefings for senior legislators and regulatory decision-makers.Policy proposals addressing traditional and alternative fuels, transportation, and land use — design and defend across the full range of climate mitigation and adaptation contexts.Testimonies and formal written materials — author independently for legislative committees, regulatory proceedings, and international forums with high analytical rigor and persuasive clarity.Non-routine environmental impact assessments — conduct when existing policy frameworks are insufficient, applying inductive and deductive reasoning to novel regulatory challenges.Object-oriented and development environment software — leverage to build or adapt custom analytical tools supporting climate scenario modeling and policy sensitivity analysis.Stakeholder communication strategies — craft and execute across politically and technically diverse audiences, adapting framing and evidence presentation to maximize policy influence.Systems analysis of climate-related regulatory frameworks — perform to trace second-order consequences of proposed legislation across economic, ecological, and social systems.Cross-disciplinary research teams — guide on methodological rigor, ensuring that scientific findings are accurately translated into legally and politically actionable policy language.Emerging climate science and international agreements — monitor continuously and incorporate into updated policy positions before legislative or regulatory windows close.
advanced
Organizational climate policy strategy — set direction across programmatic, legislative, and research functions, aligning institutional priorities with evolving international climate frameworks.High-stakes legislative and regulatory advocacy — lead at the senior governmental or executive level, representing organizational positions before Congress, federal agencies, or international bodies.Policy innovation agenda — establish by identifying systemic gaps in existing climate governance and commissioning original research programs to address them at national or global scale.Junior and mid-level analysts — mentor and develop through structured coaching, peer review processes, and stretch assignments that build autonomous policy competence.Interorganizational coalitions and partnerships — architect among government agencies, research institutions, industry groups, and civil society to advance coordinated climate policy outcomes.Resource allocation and portfolio management — oversee for a division or center, directing analytical capacity toward highest-impact legislative and regulatory opportunities.Institutional knowledge systems — design and govern, ensuring that climate research assets, policy precedents, and stakeholder intelligence are accessible and current across the organization.Complex cross-jurisdictional policy challenges — resolve by synthesizing legal, scientific, economic, and political dimensions into integrated recommendations that navigate competing interests.Public and expert discourse on climate policy — shape through thought leadership including testimony, publications, keynote presentations, and media engagement at national and international levels.Organizational performance and policy impact — evaluate using systems-level metrics, adapting strategic direction in response to legislative outcomes, scientific developments, and stakeholder dynamics.
Also known as
21 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Clean Energy Policy AnalystClimate AdvisorClimate AnalystClimate and Energy Program AssociateClimate Change AnalystClimate Change Risk AssessorClimate Change SpecialistClimate EconomistCumulative Effects AnalystEcological Risk AssessorEnvironmental Change AnalystEnvironmental Policy AnalystEnvironmental Risk AssessorGlobal Climate Change AnalystGlobal Climate Change ResearcherGreenhouse Gas Climate Change SpecialistPolicy AnalystPolicy AssociatePolicy Research AssociateRegional Climate Change AnalystRegional Science Advisor