Credit: Kristina Blokhin/Big Stock Photo

Trump campaign plans overhaul for EPA's climate policies

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, currently bolstered by recent laws and regulations on climate and toxic chemicals, could see sweeping rollbacks if Donald Trump wins the 2024 election, according to plans outlined by Trump allies.

Lisa Friedman reports for The New York Times.

In short:

The Biden administration has strengthened EPA regulations, banning toxic chemicals and enforcing stricter climate laws, but Trump's allies plan to undo these policies.
Former Trump officials propose cutting EPA’s budget, firing career staff and dismantling programs aimed at pollution in vulnerable communities.
Many Biden-era environmental regulations face legal uncertainty, as a conservative-leaning federal judiciary may challenge them.

Key quote:

"Everything that we did in terms of paring back and reining in the already-bloated agency is undone.”

— Mandy Gunasekara, chief of staff at the EPA during the Trump administration

Why this matters:

The future of environmental protections, particularly those addressing toxic chemicals and climate change, hinges on the 2024 election outcome. A shift back to deregulation may increase pollution impacts, especially in low-income and minority communities.

www.nytimes.com

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

Trump campaign plans overhaul for EPA's climate policies

Climate pledges fall short as COP29 approaches

Bots boost support for Azerbaijan’s hosting of climate summit

Pesticide regulations ignore critical threats to insect health and ecosystems

Climate-focused races in overlooked elections are critical this year

Trees worldwide face extinction threat, surpassing endangered animal species

Major corporations push to influence biodiversity talks as UN COP16 unfolds

Funding roadblocks slow COP16 progress on biodiversity targets

Coal-based steelmaking in Pennsylvania causes up to 92 premature deaths and $1.4 billion in health costs every year: Report

Just three facilities near Pittsburgh cost the state $16 million in lost economic activity annually, according to a new report.

Pollution is one of the top drivers of biodiversity loss. Why is no one talking about it at COP16?

“Chemicals are really at the center of this triple planetary crisis of pollution, biodiversity and climate change.”

La contaminación es una de las principales amenazas de la biodiversidad. ¿Por qué nadie habla de ella en la COP16?

“Las sustancias químicas están realmente en el centro de esta triple crisis planetaria de contaminación, biodiversidad y cambio climático”.

Op-ed: Labor and environmental groups can both win in the clean energy transition. Here’s how.

Groups are choosing to repair broken lines of communication and visualize the transition for its true potential to mitigate climate change – the common enemy.

‘Living under this constant threat’: Environmental defenders face a mounting mental health crisis

Environmental activists are struggling with paranoia, panic attacks, and depression. Now, a growing network of mental health shelters in South America hopes to fill a void in care.

Opposing fracking cost one Colombian activist her mental health. She’s fighting to win it back.

"At some point, they will kill you and kill all of us," environmental leader Yuvelis Natalia Morales Blanco was told.