Trump administration reverses Biden’s environmental justice programs

President Donald Trump’s executive orders have dismantled several key environmental justice policies from the Biden era, sparking plans for legal challenges from advocates.

Kristoffer Tigue, Keerti Gopal and Marianne Lavelle report for Inside Climate News.

In short:

Trump revoked Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which allocated 40% of environmental spending to disadvantaged communities, and paused disbursements from major climate laws.
Activists warn these rollbacks could worsen pollution in vulnerable areas, reversing progress on clean energy and pollution reduction programs.
Legal experts argue Trump’s actions may violate laws prohibiting withholding congressionally approved funds.

Key quote:

“I don’t know of any parent who wants their child to breathe dirtier air.”

— Almeta Cooper, Moms Clean Air Force

Why this matters:

Rolling back environmental protections threatens public health in low-income, historically marginalized communities. These policies had aimed to address disparities in pollution exposure and health outcomes, which disproportionately affect people of color and low-income households.

insideclimatenews.org

A bobblehead of President Donald Trump on the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives

Credit: Gage Skidmore/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/5427075... https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

US withdrawal from Paris Agreement comes into effect

Major emitter the US has officially left the Paris Agreement and global emissions keep rising a decade on from the deal. Yet renewables' growth shows climate action can work. Here's what's been done and what's missing.

Read the Full Article on

www.dw.com

Heavy ice build up on a truck during an ice storm

Credit: Montegari Photography/BigStock Photo ID: 4268515

A winter storm fueled by global warming tests U.S. disaster response

A sprawling winter storm that left hundreds of thousands without power, grounded thousands of flights and disrupted travel across the eastern half of the U.S. could be the first real test of the second Trump administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Read the Full Article on

insideclimatenews.org

Trump administration reverses Biden’s environmental justice programs

Amid climate crisis, insurers’ increased use of AI raises concern for policyholders

The ‘doomsday glacier’ could flood the Earth. Can a 50-mile wall stop it?

More homes than ever face fire dangers. New AI tools are revealing overlooked houses that face greater risk

'Doomsday Clock' advances to 85 seconds till midnight

US withdrawal from Paris Agreement comes into effect

Trump’s biggest climate rollback stalls over fears it will lose in court

A winter storm fueled by global warming tests U.S. disaster response

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.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

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

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

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.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

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