Mere hours after Inauguration Day, the new administration began slashing hard-fought environmental wins: rolling back protections from fossil-fuel development, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, and freezing spending for critical climate resilience projects.

The Trump Administration has continued on the path that will end up forcing Americans to pay more for energy, bear the high financial and human costs of air pollution, face accelerated impacts from climate change and a weaker, less competitive economy.

The speed and scale of this dismantling of American leadership on climate and conservation has been staggering.

Unquestionably, aggressive defense of the nation’s bedrock environmental laws and protection must be a priority.

So, what is WRA doing? Doubling down on state action.

We know that climate and conservation progress is both still possible and is critical in this moment. At WRA, we’ve spent more than three decades advancing critical climate, environmental and conservation policies in the decision-making forums where most conservation policy is made —at the state level.

Why? State governments hold significant authority to advance clean energy, to regulate polluting fossil fuel sources, and to protect people in our communities.

Cities and counties can adopt sustainable and efficient water use practices, smart land use plans and invest in clean infrastructure that can power our homes and our transportation systems. These decisions add up to protect the West.

In 2025 our work saw climate wins in all of our states. We have already covered Utah and New Mexico where we saw progress on clean transportation and wildlife protection respectively, among other wins.

Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado all have longer legislative sessions. So how did those states do in advancing wins for the environment and economy of the West?

On this episode of 2 Degrees Out West learn how WRA has helped states stay strong even as federal progress on climate action stalls.

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.
2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

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