Defending Climate Progress: Why Protecting Federal Investments Is Crucial for Our Future
In 2024, the United States endured 24 weather and climate disasters, each causing more than $1 billion in damage. These catastrophic events included 17 severe storms, four tropical cyclones, one wildfire, and two winter storms. Collectively, they resulted in the deaths of 418 people and took a significant economic toll. The average annual number of such events from 1980 to 2023 was 8.5, but this figure surged to 20.4 in the past five years. These statistics are proof of the escalating financial and human toll of our changing climate and a stark reminder that immediate action is essential.
The United States has made unprecedented strides in combating climate change in recent years. This progress has been driven by a broad and diverse movement that includes labor unions, environmental justice advocates, and business leaders, all with strong from the American public. Federal investments, particularly from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the infrastructure law, have accelerated climate action while generating jobs, lowering energy bills, and improving public health nationwide.
Now, these achievements are under attack. In his first week of presidency, Trump ordered federal agencies to stop disbursing funds under these laws, putting many of these climate initiatives and the progress made in recent years at risk. Federal funding for clean energy investments has been greatly favorable, including in Republican districts, but now these key components of the IRA—such as grants, loans, and essential tax credits—are in jeopardy.
At Poder Latinx and EcoMadres, we are deeply committed to environmental and climate justice. We stand together to confront this existential crisis and advocate for Latino families who are on the front lines of climate change because of where we live and work. As the most recent Los Angeles wildfires have shown, our low-income Latinx and Black and Brown communities feel the impact of disasters from Climate change at a much higher level than others. Many Latinos in the United States have been fleeing climate disasters and suffering from inadequate governmental responses, such as after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, for years. Since 2008, about 265 million people worldwide have been forced to leave their homes due to the devastation caused by increasing natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, and flooding. Climate solutions are available, but they don’t work if we don’t use them. That’s why we are dedicated to pushing for policies that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, strengthen pollution protections, and advance environmental justice.
One of the most valuable gifts we can offer our community is a safe and healthy future. Safeguarding our climate achievements is a critical piece of that. As major polluters and their ers in Congress attempt to reverse our progress, our voices are needed now more than ever. Lawmakers must stand firm against these attacks and defend the investments and protections that help ensure a cleaner, healthier, and safer future for our children.
As Latina leaders and advocates, we urge our elected officials to heed the science, address our health disparities, and confront the climate crisis with the urgency it deserves. Let us protect the most vulnerable among us—our children. A sustainable and resilient future hinges on firm climate policy and action—now.