As the second Trump administration has made cuts across federal agencies in the first few months since reentering Washington, those cuts are having a trickle-down effect.
Research is stopping, local governments are revisiting their priorities, and groups whose missions run counter to the administration are having to adjust. Take climate and other environmental goals, for example: President Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement again in January. He made a similar move during his first term. He's also opposed clean energy initiatives such as those that would encourage more electric vehicles.
Meanwhile, many state and local governments have their own clean energy goals. Despite recent adjustments to some of its green energy goals, Charlotte has made big improvements in this area. In 2020, it was 68th in a ranking of 75 large American cities. As of early February, it was 25th.
On the next Charlotte Talks, we discuss the cuts in the Trump administration are having on environmental progress, the people doing the work and what that could mean for our overall health. Plus, how are those working to promote climate initiatives at the state and local levels adjusting?
GUESTS:
Ethan Blumenthal, regulatory council at the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association
Jennifer Roberts, 58th mayor of Charlotte and member of the steering committee of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Climate Leaders
