A year ago, Donald Trump assumed the presidency for a second time and immediately got to work dismantling the climate progress that Joe Biden’s administration had made. Among other sweeping efforts, the White House boosted fossil fuels over renewables, tried to stop states from reducing emissions and adapting to climate change, and paused wind projects despite rising demand for electricity. Later, in July, the administration succeeded in gutting the clean-tech incentives provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, which among other things were meant to expand wind and solar. That landmark legislation was the most ambitious climate action the United States had ever taken.
Experts say the administration’s moves have done real damage to the nation’s ability to fight climate change. But they also stress that strong countervailing forces — including falling prices for renewables, surging demand for electricity, and aggressive campaigns by states and cities to slash emissions — continue to drive the transition to clean energy. The result is a growing tension between federal policy and market reality, one that is l... Read more
