· 3 min read
illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Economist or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The Trump administration is moving swiftly to dismantle federal climate regulations, prompting environmentalists to reconsider long-standing legal and policy strategies
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been hollowed out, permitting is being weakened, and major rules—including the Inflation Reduction Act's green incentives—are under threat
• A second Trump term is pushing green advocates to shift from Washington lobbying to more state- and market-based approaches
🔭 The context: Historically, U.S. environmental policy has oscillated with presidential administrations, but this rollback marks a more aggressive and ideologically driven departure
• Richard Nixon created the EPA in 1970, and bipartisan support for environmental regulation once prevailed
• However, over time, conservative hostility to regulation—especially climate-related—has intensified
• Trump’s second term, unlike the first, is more coordinated and strategically focused on long-term regulatory reversals
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: These moves could undermine the U.S.’s climate commitments under international frameworks and weaken the global momentum for decarbonisation
• Without federal leadership, emissions reductions may slow, particularly in fossil fuel-heavy states
• Yet the decentralised nature of U.S. governance means that progress may still continue via state legislation, corporate action, and judicial intervention—albeit more fragmented and slower
⏭️ What's next: Environmental groups are pivoting to state-level battles, corporate shareholder activism, and litigation
• Some are focusing on protecting key programs in court while others are accelerating green innovation through private investment
• The Biden-era subsidies may remain due to market momentum, but further federal support is unlikely
• Key moments ahead include Supreme Court decisions, budget negotiations, and state ballot initiatives in 2026
💬 One quote: “We’re entering a phase where the courts and the states—not Congress or the White House—will decide the future of American climate policy,” said an analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council
📈 One stat: The EPA’s enforcement staff has been cut by nearly 40% compared to 2016, limiting its capacity to pursue environmental violations
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