Back

Director's Picks

The Trump Cabinet nominees who could decide our climate future

Summary

President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees signal a sharp turn toward fossil fuel expansion and climate deregulation. Key figures, including fracking executive Chris Wright for the Department of Energy and former congressman Lee Zeldin for the Environmental Protection Agency, are poised to rollback Biden-era climate policies. Others, like Doug Burgum for the Department of the Interior, may prioritize oil and gas drilling on public lands. The administration's agenda includes scaling back renewable energy support, loosening environmental regulations, and weakening climate-related initiatives across multiple federal agencies. Critics warn this shift could undermine U.S. climate goals, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and hamper global climate agreements. While state and local governments may counterbalance federal policies, the Cabinet’s composition reflects a broader effort to dismantle key climate programs. Environmental advocates express concern about the potential long-term impacts on climate resilience and environmental justice.

discover more

February 7, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Seattle advocacy groups are promoting social housing as both an affordable housing solution and a climate strategy.

February 6, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Texas oil and gas companies are pushing for the state to gain regulatory authority—known as primacy—over carbon capture projects, which involve injecting carbon dioxide...

February 6, 2025
Human Health
Human Health

A Trump administration executive order freezing all foreign aid has led to the abrupt shutdown of U.S.A.I.D.-funded clinical trials worldwide, leaving thousands of participants...

February 6, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The Trump administration has placed 168 Environmental Protection Agency employees on administrative leave, a move widely seen as the first step in shutting down the agency’s...

February 6, 2025
Economic Justice
Economic Justice

Community leaders in historically Black and brown neighborhoods of Houston are calling for greater government attention to long-standing issues such as infrastructure neglect...

February 5, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The Trump administration has swiftly removed key environmental justice and climate data from government websites, including the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool...

February 5, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Exxon has applied for tax subsidies to build an $8.6 billion plastics plant in Point Comfort, Texas, raising concerns among environmentalists and local residents.

February 5, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The Environmental Protection Agency has partially lifted a spending freeze that had halted funding for environmental programs under the bipartisan infrastructure law...

February 5, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

Experts from government, academia, and activism gathered in Philadelphia to discuss climate disaster preparedness as the Trump administration considers cutting FEMA funding.

February 4, 2025
Economic Justice
Economic Justice

The Trump administration has removed the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), a key resource used to identify disadvantaged communities for environmental justice..

January 31, 2025
Education
Education

Despite Donald Trump’s push to expand offshore drilling, oil companies are unlikely to act on new leases in the Gulf of Mexico due to an already over saturated market.

January 30, 2025
Food & Water Justice
Food & Water Justice

The EPA is reassessing the health risks of nitrates in drinking water, with growing concerns that exposure could increase cancer risk.

January 29, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

President Trump’s temporary freeze on federal grants and loans created widespread uncertainty for environmental and climate programs before being rescinded.

January 29, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

A coalition of U.S. power companies is urging the Trump administration to weaken coal ash regulations, arguing that cleanup requirements are overly burdensome.

January 29, 2025
Education
Education

Black farmers in Nicodemus, Kansas, have practiced sustainable agriculture for generations, using climate-smart methods long before they became widely recognized.