Q&A: Look beyond Trump for the full story on US climate action, says university dean

Despite the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the UN climate regime and its vocal support for fossil fuels, significant climate action continues across the United States at state, city, community, business, and academic levels. Lou Leonard, dean of the School of Climate, Environment, and Society at Clark University, emphasized that efforts to reduce emissions, expand clean energy, and adapt to climate impacts persist robustly outside the federal government. Leonard highlighted that coalitions like America Is All In are driving progress toward the country’s 2035 emissions reduction targets, demonstrating that the broader US climate movement remains active despite federal setbacks. Leonard, an environmental lawyer with extensive experience including a decade at the World Wildlife Fund, noted that the Paris Agreement has endured over the past decade even with hostile federal leadership. He explained that while the US played a crucial role in the agreement’s formation, its ongoing survival and effectiveness do not depend solely on federal participation. Instead, the collective ambition of participating countries sustains the international framework, meaning that the US’s current stance weakens but does not dismantle global climate cooperation. At the recent International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent questioned the scientific consensus on climate change and urged these institutions to limit their focus on climate issues. This reflects the federal government’s broader skepticism and opposition to climate initiatives. However, Leonard’s perspective underscores the importance of looking beyond Washington to understand the full scope of US climate action, which includes substantial contributions from subnational actors and private sectors. The ongoing efforts at multiple levels of American society suggest that the US can still make meaningful strides toward its climate goals despite federal resistance. Leonard’s insights highlight the resilience of climate governance frameworks and the critical role of diverse stakeholders in advancing environmental progress amid political challenges.