Climate Action
The Current Situation
The Trump Regime is working overtime to trash the climate, along with most other things that we hold dear. The onslaught is powerful and causing major damage. But all is not lost! As a result of their climate denialism, efforts are redoubling in other arenas to reduce fossil fuel use and speed the transition to renewable energy sources.
Fortunately, the four years of the Biden administration saw the strongest action on climate change to date of any US presidency, featuring $375B in federal funding for a green transition through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and surging investment in green energy technology, notably solar and wind electricity, and electric vehicles going mainstream.
Though the Trump victory is a monumental setback for the US as well as global climate action agenda, there are limits on how much damage the new administration can do. Some progress on green investment and policy appears to be locked in because it benefits not just people in blue states, but also people in red states. Second, there are forms of action on climate change that cannot be easily stymied, either because they are conducted in jurisdictions where Democrats have a majority, or because they benefit red districts and therefore have bipartisan support.
Here are some facts that give us hope:
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Last year, solar power was the biggest single contributor to new energy supply worldwide, accounting for more than 25 percent of energy growth last year,
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Globally, electric car sales jumped 20% last year, to more than 20 million vehicles
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Installations of new wind energy jumped 40 percent in 2025 over previous year with more than 160 gigawatts installed,
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In the European Union, greenhouse gas emissions fell 3% between 2023 and 2024. TotalE.U. emissions are 40% lower than 1990 levels, even as the population and economy have grown substantially,
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Emissions in India and China (the two other largest emitters other than the US) both halted rising emissions in 2025,
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Falling prices for large scale battery storage is enabling solar and wind power (which produce power intermittently) to play a much larger role,
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The global oil and gas crisis caused by the US/Israeli war against Iran is leading many countries to accelerate their transitions to renewable energy sources.
We call for Climate Justice - recognizing that we cannot successfully meet this crisis without directly challenging the many structures which create and uphold inequality and oppression in our nation and the larger world.
Basic Information on Climate Change
- NASA Global Climate Change
- Union of Concerned Scientists
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Online Course - Climate Change: From Learning to Action
Take Action on Climate Change
Find a Climate Action Group in Your Community
If you want to participate in the movement to contain climate change, find an organization working on the issue. Check out the links to 350.org and US Climate Action Network, below, which can assist you in getting involved with local, state, regional or national organizations.
- 350.org List of Groups: Scroll down to find a local climate justice organization in your community.
- US Climate Action Network
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We Act for Environmental Justice (a local group doing amazing work in New York City)
Important national initiatives in the US
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Build Back Fossil Free
Pressuring the Biden administration to add fossil free to their “build back better” slogan. It outlines key Executive actions that President Biden can take without waiting for Congressional action. - Renewable Energy Campaigns
- Nonviolent Direct Action to Confront Climate Change
- Climate Defiance
- Resources for Climate Advocacy
- Youth Climate Action
- Sierra Club
Check out Syracuse Cultural Workers' Climate Action resources here.
Climate solutions require attention not just to fossil fuels, but also to land use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF)
Burning of fossil fuels accounts for the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions. LULUCF accounts for about 10-15% of the total, yet about 30% of the potential solution through (among other interventions) prevention of deforestation and regreening of landscapes. So it is important to pay attention not only to the work of organizations that specialize on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, but also from LULUCF – for example:
Fossil fuels
Forests
- Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security
- Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance
- Rainforest Action Network
- Rainforest Alliance
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The Nature Conservancy
Indigenous Peoples
Worldwide, Indigenous Peoples are key to protecting remaining forests and to natural climate solutions. It is important to pay attention to the work of climate organizations working for the rights of Indigenous Peoples, for example:
- Indigenous Activism for Climate Justice (Indigenous Environmental Network)
- Indigenous Climate Action
- Indigenous Environmental Network
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Rights and Resources Initiative
Policy analysis and action
Some organizations have a strong focus on policy analysis for climate action. Here are two such organizations:
Focus on Climate Solutions
In addition to supporting the work of organizations that counteract the release of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels and land use change (including forests), it is important to pay attention to the work of organizations that are pioneering the energy transition from dirty and unsustainable to clean and sustainable forms of energy.Among the leading such organizations are:
Individual Actions
What we do as individuals can add up to meaningful change, remind us of the urgency we face and demonstrate consistency between what we seek in public policy and how we live our lives.
We welcome your feedback!
We are aware that our list of organizations is incomplete. That is intentional. There are way too many to list them all and there is rapid flux. We wanted to spotlight those groups that appear to be doing high quality work. The list will be updated every three months. We welcome your feedback on how it can be improved. Reach out to us at andy@syracuseculturalworkers.com.