A second Trump term is here, and with it a wave of actions to undo the previous administration’s climate and energy policies. Day one brought executive orders to slash funding for the Inflation Reduction Act, pull the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, and freeze the vast majority of federal wind energy permits, among others.
President Trump’s nominees to run federal agencies offer a telling preview of what comes next, says Patrick Drupp, director of climate policy and advocacy at Sierra Club. His pick for energy secretary is a fossil fuel executive and climate crisis denier, and critics say his nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency—who Trump calls “the great deregulator”—lacks qualifications.
But this time around, climate advocates like Drupp are more familiar with the playbook, and environmental advocacy organizations are gearing up to challenge many of the administration’s actions in court. But pushback isn’t limited to legal action, and there are ways for everyday folks to get engaged and make their voices heard.
What the experts expect
To understand how advocates plan to approach the new administration, it’s important to start with a little history about the prior one. After settling into the White House in 2017, the first Trump administration weakened or rolled back more than 100 rules, including those that curbed air and water pollution and reined in drilling and extraction on public lands. Most of these reversals were implemented by Trump’s appointees in the EPA and undercut Obama-era policies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, cars, and trucks (the Biden EPA later introduced stricter rules).
In this new term, experts know we’re in for more of the same, and the Project 2025 agenda, says Drupp, is the road map. The plan, published by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation and authored by former and present Trump staffers, aims to gut clean air protections, weaken the Endangered Species Act, and ramp up oil and gas extraction on federal lands, among other promises. The plan also takes aim at the climate research that underpins new regulations, which could create damage that’ll be difficult to undo once Trump leaves office, says Romany Webb, deputy director of Columbia University’s Sabin Center for Climate Change.
The good news is that climate and public health advocates have been keeping a close eye on things, including moves that can be challenged in court. During Trump’s first term, states and environmental groups filed hundreds of lawsuits against the administration, and the vast majority were successful, including a suit that spurred the courts to strike down a Trump policy called the Affordable Clean Energy rule that would have increased carbon pollution at many coal-fired power plants.
With the new administration, there could be fewer openings, Drupp says. Policymakers skipped important requirements when making or scrapping rules. They, for example, dodged opportunities to make changes available for input from the public (aka public comment) or failed to provide sufficient scientific and legal evidence to back things up. Drupp says these “ham-handed” efforts offered a good target for lawsuits, but also thinks Trump’s team has likely learned their lessons and may stick more closely to the rulemaking requirements.
What you can do
So where does that leave things? Of course everyday folks won’t be the ones slugging all this out in court, but there will be opportunities for climate-active individuals to get involved. And they should, Webb cautions. It’s easy to “become numb,” she says, but “it’s really important that people remain engaged and speak out.” Here are a couple ways to do that—that don’t require moving away from your laptop.
Look local
The federal government isn’t the only venue to make climate progress. According to one recent analysis, state and local programs, such as improved building efficiency standards and ambitious renewable energy adoption targets, have the potential to to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by up to 62%. Local groups can help you advocate for pro-climate legislation in your community and state. You can find nearby organizations with this nifty tool from the climate organization 350.org or join your state’s Sierra Club chapter.
Sign up for alerts
Groups like Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Earthjustice, and the Natural Resources Defense Council will send out emails to organize efforts to write letters to public officials and gather signatures on petitions as issues arise, so getting on one (or several) lists is a good idea. Sierra Club, for example, credits its supporters with helping curb Trump’s plan for oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and pushing for the retirement of 79 coal-fired power plants during Trump 1.0, despite his vow to revive the coal sector. We know signing up for alerts can be a lot, so start slow and don’t be afraid to step away if you are overwhelmed.
Be ready to share your opinions
Federal agencies are required to accept public comments on proposed rules and rollbacks, a step the administration may not skip this time. That means environmental organizations are likely to surface opportunities to submit comments in the coming months and years. Now’s a good time to start learning the anatomy of what makes for a good, effective comment. This handy guide, which also includes how to plot out a phone conversation, from the Natural Resources Defense Council is a great place to start.