Trump rolls back several key climate adaptation policies

President Trump has reversed several federal climate adaptation measures established under Presidents Biden and Obama, affecting national security, flood protections and vulnerable communities.

Christopher Flavelle reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Trump rescinded a Pentagon directive to consider climate risks in defense and national security strategies, dismissing previous efforts to address climate-driven vulnerabilities.
Agencies are no longer required to evaluate how climate change impacts federal operations, including risks to facilities like Smithsonian museums.
A program allocating federal climate resilience funds to disadvantaged communities was ended, halting efforts to address long-standing inequities in disaster preparedness.

Why this matters:

Climate change is steadily reshaping the risks faced by communities across the globe, with homes, infrastructure and vulnerable populations increasingly in harm’s way. Rising temperatures, more intense storms and unpredictable weather patterns are straining aging infrastructure and testing the limits of disaster preparedness. For low-income areas, which often lack the resources to recover swiftly or implement preventative measures, the stakes are especially high.

www.nytimes.com

Trump rolls back several key climate adaptation policies

Insurance has become the real disaster for Black families

The psychological distance between us and climate disaster

As heat rises, so do complaints about stuffy subway rides

The feds pulled $1.5B from tribal clean energy. Tribes are finding another way

Middle East conflict exposes Africa’s fossil fuel risks & the case for clean energy

Republicans target public lands protections in a new way

Women bear the brunt of climate change. Meet the green politicians determined to change that

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.