Climate advocates brace for Trump's return with new strategies

A coalition of environmental groups is preparing to defend climate policies against a second Trump administration, aiming to secure gains from the Inflation Reduction Act and bolster legal and grassroots support.

Georgina Gustin reports for Inside Climate News.


In short:

  • Environmental groups have built more coordinated coalitions since Trump’s first term and plan to intensify grassroots and legal strategies.
  • They are focused on securing remaining funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated billions to clean energy programs that could be at risk.
  • Advocates stress the importance of state and local action to protect progress on climate goals in case of federal rollbacks.

Key quote:

“We’re ready. We have a plan to fight against any and all efforts to harm public health, climate action and the environment. We’re going to use every lever we have to defend people and nature.”

— Manish Bapna, president, Natural Resources Defense Council

Why this matters:

Environmental policies face a critical test as Trump’s reelection could undo recent climate progress, stymie U.S. emissions reduction and weaken international climate agreements. With federal policy in jeopardy, advocacy groups are preparing to fight locally and in court to keep the U.S. moving toward cleaner energy.

Related:

Jeff Bezos dressed in a tuxedo headshot
Credit: Starfrenzy/BigStock Photo ID: 439441229

Washington Post gutting its climate team

Clean energy dies in darkness. Courtesy of Jeff Bezos.
China renewable energy, wind and solar energy concept. Chinese flag superimposed with wind turbines and solar panels
Credit: Anton_Medvedev /BigStock Photo ID: 431444246

Green energy sector drove more than 90% of China’s investment growth last year, analysis finds

Industry bigger than all but seven world economies, and accounts for more than third of China’s economic growth.

Illustration depicting pumpjacks vs solar panels & wind turbines
Credit: MIRO3D/BigStock Photo ID: 147195269

Trump administration is delaying hundreds of wind and solar projects

Federal agencies are delaying approvals for renewable energy projects on both federal land and private property at a time when electricity demand is going up.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaking with attendees at the 2021 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA
Credit: Gage Skidmore/ Licensed under creative commons/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Florida DOGE embraces Trump’s disputed climate report

The DeSantis administration, seeking to curtail local spending, cited a Department of Energy report to question the "so-called climate crisis."
Man in yellow safety vest standing under a building roof being built

As tech companies race to build data centers, communities are pushing back

Concerns about electricity bills and local impacts are fueling bipartisan opposition to the massive data centers that power the digital economy, from cloud services to AI chatbots.

Surf and sand, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Study offers best picture yet of sinking land in the Chesapeake Bay region

Scientists have known for years that water levels are rising faster in the Chesapeake Bay region than just about anywhere else in the world — because water is only part of the problem here. The land is also sinking.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.