The fight against climate change is not over because Donald Trump won the presidency. While there is no doubt that work to mitigate the already spiraling climate crisis will get harder, changing tactics and recognizing where the issues stand is critical for moving forward. We only have one planet, after all.
If you’re unfamiliar with where Trump is on climate policy, here is a little refresher: While in office, he pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty to mitigate climate change. Joe Biden signed the US back into the agreement when he took office, but Trump’s move to pull out of it in the first place (which he could do again) immediately signaled how his administration would handle the crisis: through deregulation. In Trump's four years in office, he rolled back regulations on airborne mercury emissions, coal ash storage, and more, according to the Brookings Institute.
The science is clear, though: We need to reduce “heat-trapping greenhouse gases” that come from the overuse of fossil fuels. In his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to do the opposite. In his acceptance speech, he said, “We have more liquid gold than any country in the world,” referring to oil and gas.
The American Petroleum Institute's chief executive Mike Sommers appeared to revel in Trump's comment: “Energy was on the ballot, and voters sent a clear signal that they want choices, not mandates, and an all-of-the-above approach that harnesses our nation’s resources and builds on the successes of his first term,” Sommers said in a statement.
Still, this is a planet we all have to live on, no matter who is in power or where they are. The climate policies of the United States will impact the whole world, but there are some coalitions and communities working diligently to protect the Earth. Take, for example, when Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, accelerated the deforestation of the Amazon — the protection of which has been critical to keeping global temperatures at bay — how Indigenous organizers not only worked to get him out of office, they put a plan in place to undo much of the damage he did. There is now evidence that deforestation has slowed down.
It is understandable to feel discouraged, but the fight isn't over — it can't be. There is no choice, particularly for the mostly Black and Brown women globally who are most impacted by the effects of climate change. There are plans in place and work is already happening to make sure we stay the course, even if things need to shift a bit. As Elly Kosova, government affairs advocate for Conservation-Energy at League of Conservation Voters, tells Teen Vogue, “Your voice matters, even and especially when they would prefer your silence. We can and must stand up for climate and environmental justice, and together, we can emerge stronger to win critical advances in the months and years ahead.”
Below, read more from climate activists, conservationists, organizers, and scientists about the realistic next steps now that Donald Trump has won the presidency.
“I have lived in and witnessed many dark days as a humanitarian and a women’s rights activist who worked with women in conflicts and those addressing climate change, and I have learned that nothing is ever over. If anything, the idea that things are over when we learn of the victory of a very worrisome leader — or any bad news, for that matter — is a privileged one. Most women, at the frontlines of fighting for their rights and the rights of nature, have no choice but to continue the fight no matter what politician takes office.
"The question, though, is not whether or not one continues to strive and fight for justice; the real question is how can we continue the work in what feels like dark days and years to come while also protecting our mental and physical well-being?
"In working with women on the frontlines of addressing climate change and biodiversity loss, I have learned that anchoring ourselves in a loving community is most important. It can feel very lonely to be an activist and someone who is dedicated to social, economic, and environmental justice. It can be very disheartening and, at times, demoralizing to hear leaders deny basic rights to women and girls, deny climate change, and deny the basic principle of dignity and equality for all. But the truth is we are never alone. There are so many amazing women around this country and the world who are passionate about equality and justice in all its forms, including climate justice. We just need to see each other, meet each other, and be in community with each other. Because in our unity lies our strength. In our collaboration lies our resilience. In our love lies our ultimate triumph, even if that takes us years to reach.”
“In the coming weeks, we can work with Congress to confirm more federal judges to vacancies and safeguard key environmental programs before the Senate and White House are controlled by anti-environment and anti-democracy leadership. To make lasting change in our communities, our work can’t just stop at the federal level; we’ll also need to keep making strides at the state and local levels to cut pollution and advance environmental justice. And we’ll be looking for innovative ways to connect with people on climate change and the transition to affordable clean energy to ensure their voices are heard and included as we keep up the fight to cut pollution and end our reliance on health-harming fossil fuels.”
“Like many others in the climate movement, I woke up on November 6 (also my 25th birthday, sigh) feeling a mix of emotions: fear, grief, hopelessness, and [above] all, rage. As a Black climate activist, these are not new feelings — they come with the territory.
"As the initial shock has somewhat settled over the past 48 hours, I see a movement-wide emphasis on action from the Biden administration. The Biden administration still has 70+ days left in office, and we are calling on his administration to make the most of this urgent moment by declaring a climate emergency and ensuring that funds allocated to the Inflation Reduction Act are allocated to communities that need that capital the most.
"As the founder of Black Girl Environmentalist, an organization that proudly centers and invests in the next generation of Black women climate leaders, organizations like ours are feeling uncertain about the future. On June 3, a federal appeals court made the decision to block the Fearless Fund’s grant program for Black female entrepreneurs in Georgia. This ruling jeopardizes similar programs aimed at leveling the playing field for Black women, like the one I run to support the next generation of Black women climate leaders. With recent attacks on DEI and race-focused programming, we are quickly approaching a day when Black Girl Environmentalist may not be legally viable. We will need to lean on the climate movement ecosystem to step up and support Black women and other communities of color who will suffer the most from divestment in environmental justice and equity funding and support.”
“We need to work together. This might sound obvious, but I often see the environmental community going after itself in the name of perfection. We do not have time or energy to waste regarding climate action. Please don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the critically and urgently needed good-enough-for-now. Stacey Abrams has said that progress is on the ballot, not perfection. I think that applies to the climate movement as well. This loss is a terrible setback, but we must bridge divides, work together, and mobilize for climate legislation and the midterms to take back the Senate and House.”
“The federal government is a [small piece] of it. There is no doubt that this administration can slow climate progress, which means that there will be additional emissions and suffering. But climate action largely happens at the level of companies, cities, organizations, universities, tribal nations, churches, individuals, neighborhoods, Girl Scout troops, and classrooms.
"The science is clear that timing matters. How fast the boulder gets down the hill matters. The science says every action matters. Every choice matters, every year matters.
"People wonder why politicians don't do anything about it, but it’s because they underestimate how much their constituents care. I'm talking about connecting your head to your heart to your hands. All the data and information and facts and worries are there, but how does it affect the people, the places, and the things I love in my life right here and now? That's the heart. And then, what can I do about it? That's the hands. We have not engaged people's hearts in people's hands.
"We're all hyper-focused on what's happening at the federal level, [but] 99.9% of elected officials are not federal. Research has shown that the closer we are geographically, the easier it is to find bipartisan solutions that people can get on board with at the local level rather than the federal level. So I am really leaning into making sure that local decision-makers and regional decision-makers know why this matters and what solutions look like.”
“The climate crisis will keep on going. It doesn't matter who's in the White House — the climate crisis will keep on going, communities will still be affected, the hurricanes will still get stronger. The plans for contingency and adaptation and mitigation are unavoidable, even if you ignore the world's climate change.
"For us, it's really the work that continues, regardless of who's in the White House. It has continued globally regardless of who's in the White House as well. I am in a gathering that is uniting over 200 youth activists in Oaxaca to plan for the next year. There are so many communities here that have seen repressive governments come and go, like Bolsonaro. It’s just another president that we feel will fail the movement; it doesn't mean we stop.
"People were shocked, obviously. They were shocked, but none of them said, ‘Oh, so what we're doing doesn't matter or isn't going to keep happening?’ We're still here. We're going to go to COP in a week. We're going to look at the finance mechanisms for the distribution of funds for mitigation and adaptation. And it will just keep on going because that's what we committed to.”
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