Word cloud with the words Department of Energy, Gas, Power, Wind and others represented

Trump administration prepares for broad layoffs at Department of Energy, deems 40% of staff nonessential

The U.S. Department of Energy says more than 40% of its workforce may face layoffs as part of a Trump administration plan to restructure the agency and cut federal staffing.

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

In short:

The DOE identified about 7,000 of its nearly 16,000 positions as nonessential in an internal document.
The list of “essential” offices includes cybersecurity, nuclear security, and several power administrations, while other offices remain unnamed.
Layoffs across the federal government are also expected at other major agencies, including Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs.

Key quote:

“Arbitrary staffing cuts across the Department of Energy would recklessly jeopardize its ability to fulfill its mission to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing our energy, environmental, and nuclear security challenges.”

— Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

Why this matters:

The proposed cuts, reportedly framed around reducing “nonessential” roles, come at a time when the U.S. energy system is under growing strain from climate change, aging infrastructure, and geopolitical tensions. From overseeing nuclear weapons and managing radioactive waste to funding clean energy research and securing the national electric grid, the DOE plays a quiet but indispensable role in both public health and environmental safety. Experts warn that redefining entire offices as dispensable could paralyze efforts to modernize the grid, track energy-related pollution, or respond to crises such as pipeline attacks or extreme weather outages. And as global temperatures continue to climb, any retreat from sustained scientific investment or environmental oversight could leave communities — particularly those near nuclear sites or fossil fuel facilities — vulnerable to cascading hazards.

thehill.com

Credit: Douglas Fischer

One lawyer's groundbreaking work in shaping climate law

As governments stall and emissions climb, human rights lawyers like Monica Feria-Tinta are turning to the courts to force climate action — one tree, island, or river at a time.

Samira Shackle reports for The Guardian.

In short:

Feria-Tinta is pioneering legal strategies that argue climate inaction violates human rights, helping Indigenous and vulnerable communities take their cases to global courts.
Her work includes landmark victories like the Torres Strait case, where the United Nations ruled Australia failed to protect islanders from climate harm, and Ecuador’s Los Cedros forest, which won legal rights as a living entity.
While legal wins are often slow and hard-fought, they’re shifting the global legal landscape, transforming courts into battlegrounds where climate justice and biodiversity now have a voice.

Key quote:

“Whether it’s a single tree, or a whole community depending on a river, what is at stake is the future of humanity.”

— Monica Feria-Tinta

Why this matters:

As heat, floods, and displacement intensify, the courtroom has become a potent line of defense. Climate litigation can hold powerful players accountable, push policy change, and help protect the ecosystems our health depends on — even when other systems fail. These legal wins are slow, complex, and anything but guaranteed. But they’re a signal that the courtroom is becoming one of the last places where the planet still stands a fighting chance.

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www.ehn.org

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