climate justice sign protest

A new leader at WildEarth Guardians ties environmentalism to fighting racism

In a recent interview, Hop Hopkins, the newly appointed executive director of WildEarth Guardians, discusses his holistic approach to environmental conservation, emphasizing the interconnectedness of racial justice and environmental sustainability.

Susan Shain reports for High Country News.


In short:

  • Hop Hopkins emphasizes the need for an intersectional approach in conservation, rejecting the separation of human and wild environments.
  • He points out that environmental degradation and racial injustice are fueled by the same systems of extraction and disposability.
  • Hopkins advocates for community-engaged strategies to transition workers from extractive industries to sustainable livelihoods without harm.

Key quote:

"You can't have climate change without sacrifice zones, and you can't have sacrifice zones without disposable people, and you can't have disposable people without racism."

— Hop Hopkins, executive director of WildEarth Guardians

Why this matters:

Research shows that in the United States, Black, Hispanic and other communities of color are more likely to live near polluting industries and have less access to clean air and water. This is not just an issue of proximity to hazardous sites but also involves systemic inequalities in housing, healthcare and employment.

A person's hand holding pen writing on paper next to a person with a laptop.

Trump administration quietly curbs key U.S. energy reports amid staff cuts

The Biden-era U.S. Annual Energy Outlook projected rising renewables and falling fossil fuel use, but the Trump administration suppressed its analysis and canceled the next global outlook report.

Peter Elkind reports for ProPublica.

Keep reading...Show less
A person inserting a charger into an electric vehicle.
Credit: JUICE/Unsplash

China’s battery swap stations offer a fast alternative to EV charging but face challenges

Swapping depleted electric vehicle batteries for charged ones in minutes is expanding in China, but adoption hurdles remain despite rapid growth and government support.

Iris Liu reports for BBC.

Keep reading...Show less
Australian suburban houses with solar panels on roofs

Analysis: Australia’s voters give Labor a mandate to speed up the renewable energy transition

Australia’s landslide election result signals public support for faster renewable energy growth and leaves the Labor government poised to make bigger climate policy moves.

Adam Morton writes for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
Dry, cracked soil in a desert landscape with a small weed growing out of a crack.
Credit: Mario/Pixabay

Scientists move forward with climate assessment work despite federal dismissals

Major scientific societies will publish research for the stalled National Climate Assessment after the Trump administration removed the project’s authors.

Rebecca Dzombak reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
A flooded basement with furniture and boxes floating in water.

Climate disaster survivors form nationwide movement to push for climate action and disaster reform

A growing network of U.S. climate disaster survivors is turning personal loss into collective advocacy, demanding action as extreme weather intensifies and federal aid diminishes.

Gabe Castro-Root reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Silhouette of forest trees with a wildfire in the background.

How federal neglect fuels wildfire crises on tribal lands

Wildfires have increasingly devastated Indigenous reservations, where underfunded and overstretched tribal firefighting programs struggle to keep pace with mounting threats.

Lachlan Hyatt reports for High Country News.

Keep reading...Show less
A scientist's gloved hands placing a bit of soil into a test tube.

Soil tests reveal toxic metals lingering in L.A. burn zones after government cleanup

After federal agencies declined to test soil for toxic substances following the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires, Los Angeles Times reporters conducted independent testing and found alarming levels of contamination on properties across Los Angeles County.

Tony Briscoe, Noah Haggerty and Hayley Smith report for the Los Angeles Times.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

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

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

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

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

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.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

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

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.