Trump’s second term puts environmental groups in retreat as coal, oil surge

President Trump’s policy reversals have dismantled major climate programs from the Biden era, leaving U.S. environmental groups financially strained, internally divided, and bracing for more setbacks.

David Gelles, Claire Brown and Karen Zraick report for The New York Times.

In short:

• Trump’s administration has gutted the Inflation Reduction Act, revived fossil fuel projects, and rolled back decades of environmental regulations, prompting legal and financial crises across key environmental organizations.
• Longstanding groups like Greenpeace and the Sierra Club face lawsuits, layoffs, and leadership turmoil, while newer groups like Rewiring America have lost federal funding and trimmed staff.
• Some organizations, such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and Earthjustice, are shifting focus to courts, states, and international advocacy, hoping to offset federal inaction and preserve climate progress.

Key quote:

“With one election and one bill, most of the signature climate work that organizations, advocates and movements have been working toward is largely undone.”

— Ruthy Gourevitch, policy director at the Climate and Community Institute

Why this matters:

Environmental groups' weakening could mean a freer hand for fossil fuel interests at a moment when scientists warn that time is running out to limit global warming. The rollback of Biden-era policies disrupts long-term investment in clean energy and undercuts efforts to reduce emissions. Lawsuits against groups like Greenpeace, along with staff cuts and leadership turmoil, signal a fragmented and demoralized movement. Public health and ecosystems stand to suffer as air and water protections loosen, while frontline communities may bear the brunt of increased pollution and climate disruption.

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