Chalk on the pavement saying Climate Crisis equals Human Rights Crisis.

Credit: Rema/Unsplash

FEMA shutters youth climate council amid broader agency cutbacks

Teen advocates for climate resilience were left without warning or explanation when the Federal Emergency Management Agency disbanded its Youth Preparedness Council earlier this month.

Gabriela Aoun Angueira reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

FEMA canceled the annual summit and abruptly ended communications with its Youth Preparedness Council before officially terminating the 13-year-old program on August 1.
The move follows sweeping cuts under President Trump’s second term, including reduced FEMA staffing, canceled emergency training, and the early exit of 2,000 AmeriCorps disaster service members.
Critics warn that dismantling youth programs weakens the pipeline for future emergency managers and sidelines young leaders already organizing for climate resilience in their communities.

Key quote:

“We were putting so much time and effort into this space, and now it’s fully gutted.”

— Ashton Dolce, former FEMA Youth Preparedness Council member

Why this matters:

Young people often play vital roles in grassroots organizing, digital communication, and peer-led resilience efforts, especially in communities hit hardest by floods, fires, and extreme heat. Training and investing in the next generation helps mobilize capable responders now. Without federal support, however, local communities must shoulder more of the burden, often without the resources or personnel to do so. Cutting the FEMA Youth Preparedness Council also reflects a shift away from inclusive disaster policy at a time when environmental hazards are escalating rapidly.

apnews.com

Rafael Mariano Grossi with Nuclear Energy Influencer Isabelle Boemeke

From runway to reactor: a model makes nuclear power her cause

A former fashion model is swapping Instagram filters for fission rods, using social media to make nuclear energy digestible — and trendy — for mainstream audiences.

Madison Malone Kircher reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less

Read the Full Article on

www.nytimes.com

FEMA shutters youth climate council amid broader agency cutbacks

Governors Island transforms from military base to climate innovation hub

Airports are cleaning up their act with new sustainability programs

Laguna Pueblo continues to suffer with legacy uranium waste, despite expanded federal compensation program

From runway to reactor: a model makes nuclear power her cause

Climate change is undercutting the MAHA movement's healthy food agenda

Plastic pollution treaty talks end with no agreement

Trump’s EPA rollback on climate rules may reignite legal battles between states and the federal government

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.