As the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, INC-5.2, draws to a close in Geneva, Switzerland, hopes for a breakthrough have dimmed.

The session, intended to finalize a legally binding global plastics treaty, has ended without agreement, with negotiations marred by bitter divisions between countries pushing for ambitious measures to curb plastic production and those seeking to limit the treaty’s scope to mitigate plastic pollution and waste management. 

The latest draft fails to include production caps or strong chemical controls, instead leaning heavily on voluntary commitments and recycling, which is a stance decried by over 100 “high ambition” nations as dangerously inadequate. Fossil fuel–aligned states, backed by a heavy industry presence, resisted upstream limits, reflecting a widening gap between scientific urgency and political will. 

Geneva, in turn, has become a vivid illustration of both the intractability of global environmental diplomacy and the stakes for ecosystems, human health, and economies.

From fossil fuel and plastic lobbyists crowding negotiation halls to civil society staging bold acts of protest, the dynamics inside and outside the Palais des Nations reveal the forces shaping the treaty’s fate. Below are seven critical developments that capture the stakes, the players, and the pivotal decisions that could define the world’s response to the plastics crisis for decades to come. 

1. Aminah Taariq-Sidibe: EARTHDAY.ORG’s Observer In the Eye of the Storm

Aminah, EARTHDAY.ORG’s Manager of the End Plastics Initiative was stationed at the Palais des Nations, serving as our organization’s on-site observer to track real-time developments at this historic moment. This session is the culmination of a multi-year process, building upon five prior negotiation rounds, from Punta del Este (INC-1) through Busan (INC-5.1), now converging in Geneva for what could be the decisive stage of talks. From her vantage point inside the UN complex, Aminah witnessed the tension between the procedural grind and the high-stakes urgency hanging over the room. 

Outside the halls, the “Thinker’s Burden” sculpture by Benjamin Von Wong greets delegates and visitors alike. A six-meter figure inspired by Rodin’s The Thinker sits atop Mother Earth, surrounded by a DNA helix and gradually being engulfed by real plastic waste over the course of the negotiations, serving as a haunting reminder of the mounting burden of delay and inaction.

Plastics, microplastics and their additive chemicals are linked to human infertility, heart disease, cancers, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and more. Yet the plastic industry is fighting every step of the way to take accountability and to limit human exposure. 

2. The Fossil Fuel and Plastic Lobby Vastly Outnumbered Public Interest Voices

Lobbyists from fossil fuel, petrochemical, and plastics sectors — numbering over 234 — dominated Geneva. They outnumber scientists, Indigenous delegates, and even the entire European Union (EU) delegation, with 19 embedded directly within national delegations. 

This creates a corporate capture of the treaty process, as these lobbyists often push for weaker language and voluntary commitments that protect industry profits.

Industry representatives have been particularly active in contact groups dealing with financial mechanisms and national action plan language, which are areas where a single watered-down clause can dramatically blunt the treaty’s enforcement potential. 

The imbalance has alarmed advocates, who say the voices of those most impacted by plastic pollution, such as coastal communities, waste pickers, and Global South nations, are being drowned out.

3. Critical Omissions: No Production Caps & No Chemical Controls 

The Chair’s draft, released on August 13, strips away two of the most important upstream measures: binding plastic production caps and controls on toxic plastic chemicals of concern. Instead, it prioritizes end-of-pipe measures like recycling, which we know has failed to address  the plastic problem for over 50 years, ‘redesign’, and voluntary waste management schemes.

This framing mirrors the preferred position of the petrochemical plastic producers and major oil-exporting nations, which see plastic production as a critical growth market. 

The absence of production caps ignores scientific consensus that curbing virgin plastic output is the single most effective way to reduce plastic pollution and safeguard human health. Omitting controls on harmful plastic additive chemicals, many of which are linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, and developmental harm, undermines the treaty’s ability to safeguard public health.

4. High Ambition Coalition Pushes for Lifecycle Mandates

More than 100 countries, including the European Union (EU), Canada, Colombia, and several small island developing states, are pressing for a treaty that tackles plastics across their entire lifecycle. This means not only waste management, but also limiting plastic production, banning harmful chemicals, and holding producers, ultimately the polluters,  truly accountable.

These nations have repeatedly invoked the “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, framing plastics as a cross-cutting threat. They are also calling for a robust financial mechanism to support developing countries in implementing treaty obligations. 

EU delegates have stressed that without upstream measures, plastic production could triple by 2060, locking in decades of additional pollution.

5. Creative, Disruptive Activism Gains Momentum Outside the Halls

While negotiators debate commas and clauses inside, activists outside are making their own kind of history. Greenpeace scaled UN buildings to unfurl banners calling for “Cut Plastic Production Now.” The evolving “Thinker’s Burden” sculpture has drawn daily media attention, as it accumulates more plastic waste each day. Swiss oceanic activists handed out bars of soap engraved with the words “No Dirty Tricks” to protest industry interference.

These actions are timed to coincide with key moments in the negotiations, ensuring delegates feel public pressure in real time. Civil society groups have also coordinated press conferences to counter industry talking points and provide journalists with alternative, ambition-focused narratives.

6. On the Last Day Talks Hung by a Thread 

By Day 4, negotiators faced over 370 unresolved brackets in the draft text, which was a sign of deep division. Contentious issues included definitions of “problematic and avoidable plastics,” the scope of national action plans, and whether measures would be mandatory or voluntary.

Certain procedural maneuvers, like reopening already-agreed text or shifting contentious issues to future “technical expert groups,” was used to dilute ambition without outright rejecting proposals. Observers described the mood as tense and fatigued, with some delegates openly questioning whether a meaningful agreement was still possible within the deadline.

7. “This Is Not a Treaty”

One of the most forceful rebukes of the Chair’s draft, declared that this “is not a treaty” but rather “a collection of voluntary national measures” that won’t make any difference in tackling the escalating plastics crisis.They argued that without binding global targets, chemical bans, and accountability mechanisms, the agreement will be little more than a symbolic gesture.

This criticism was echoed by many NGOs and members of the High Ambition Coalition, who see the current text as a capitulation to industry interests. They warned that the credibility of the entire INC process, and the hope of a plastic-free future, hangs in the balance.

Geneva Is At a Crossroads and Your Voice Still Matters

The decisions in Geneva will define not just negotiation history—but the future of plastic governance itself. The evidence, science, and on-the-ground reporting are clear: only bold, legally binding, full-lifecycle protections will do. 

You can take action now by signing the Global Plastics Treaty petition to support an enforceable, production-to-disposal framework. You can also urge lawmakers to defend the EPA, vital for bringing any treaty home with force. Geneva is the moment. Let’s rise.

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Universities across the United States are recognizing that climate literacy, which was once considered a niche elective, is becoming a foundational competency for all graduates. No longer relegated to environmental science majors, climate and sustainability education are being woven into general education curricula to equip more students across all disciplines with the knowledge and skills to navigate a warming world.

Early Adopters and Their Models

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is leading this shift. Beginning with the Fall 2024 cohort, UC SD introduced its Climate Change Education Requirement, which mandates that all undergraduates take a course featuring at least 30% climate-related content, encompassing science, impacts, mitigation, adaptation, and a project component tailored to each discipline (e.g., literature, engineering). This initiative affects approximately 7,000 students per graduating class.

Shortly thereafter, Arizona State University (ASU) launched “General Studies Gold” in Fall 2024, a revamped general education model including a mandatory three-credit sustainability course for every incoming student. This ensures that sustainability is no longer optional but embedded within the core curriculum.

As part of California’s largest public higher education system, San Francisco State University (SFSU) is transforming its longstanding environmental sustainability requirement. Starting in Fall 2025, all students must complete a course under the newly redesigned Environmental Sustainability & Climate Action (ESCA) requirement, which explicitly covers climate justice, making SFSU the first major public university to require climate-justice content for graduation.

Meanwhile, UC Davis is developing a proposed Climate Crisis general education requirement aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action). The proposal, with over 530 endorsements from faculty, staff, and students, is being considered by the Academic Senate and could launch in fall 2026 for the class of 2030.

The Data: Adoption, Assessment, and Impact

Though relatively few universities have adopted institution-wide climate literacy mandates, momentum is undeniable. Traditionally, sustainability education in higher ed’ is centered around electives, minors, and certificates. Now, campuses increasingly see climate literacy as integral to all students’ learning.

But what exactly is “climate literacy”? Unlike the broader systems-focused sustainability literacy, climate literacy zeroes in on understanding climate science, societal and ecological impacts, and strategies for mitigation, adaptation, and justice. Many institutions use the AASHE STARS framework to benchmark learning outcomes and assessments in these domains.

Data from campuses reporting to AASHE STARS reveal that the median campus scores approximately 2.8 out of 8 on the Learning Outcomes indicator (AC-2), suggesting that while sustainability learning objectives exist in some programs, few span entire undergraduate populations. Similarly, the median on the Sustainability Literacy Assessment indicator (AC-6) stands at around 2 out of 4, indicating that while assessments are deployed, they are not yet comprehensive. 

To put it more simply, most U.S. colleges say they teach some sustainability-related topics, but when it comes to teaching climate science and solutions to all undergraduates — and actually testing what students have learned — very few universities are doing it thoroughly.

But student demand is further fuelling the trend for more. In fact, 48% of prospective applicants would choose a more sustainable university over a top-100 ranked one, while 88% of current students expect sustainable development to be integrated into their learning experience.

Moreover, requiring sustainability coursework yields measurable learning gains. At Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo), students who completed three or more sustainability-related courses answered 68.42% of literacy questions correctly, about eight percentage points higher than the campus average. This is a strong indicator that repeated engagement, not just a single course, enhances competency.

Why Universities Are Making the Change

Universities cite several compelling reasons for embedding climate literacy into graduation requirements. First, it promotes career readiness, seeing as climate risk is now relevant across most professions. Lawyers must grapple with climate-related regulations; architects design for resilience; business leaders must manage with sustainability issues, the medical profession with changing instances of disease, even insurance brokers have had to learn to assess risk on a whole new level due to extreme weather.  UCSD’s approach, which allows discipline-specific projects, makes climate learning immediately relevant and employable.

Second, climate literacy bolsters civic competence. It also fosters informed public discourse and support for effective policies, which are outcomes associated with universities’ civic missions.

Third, these requirements reinforce the credibility of institutional commitments and reputation. For example, the University of Richmond and Cornell explicitly make sustainability education a core part of their climate action frameworks, linking academic requirements with operational carbon neutrality targets and strategic planning. These efforts ensure that climate goals transcend operational changes, rooting them in the knowledge, skills, and values developed across the student body.

Lastly, by prioritizing climate equity and justice, universities embed moral clarity. SFSU’s ESCA requirement explicitly addresses the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized groups, urging students to understand not just scientific problems, but also the power dynamics at play.

Barriers to Wider Implementation

Despite clear progress, several significant obstacles still hinder the widespread adoption of institution-wide climate literacy at U.S. universities. First, most campuses still lack formal, graduation-level climate literacy requirements, meaning that many students complete their degrees without any structured exposure to climate science or sustainability principles beyond their majors or elective courses.

Second, even where coursework exists, robust assessment methods remain rare. Few universities conduct comprehensive pre- and post-testing across entire student cohorts to evaluate learning gains. While such longitudinal assessments can effectively measure knowledge gains, as demonstrated in fields like physics and sustainability studies, universities normally lack both the infrastructure and the incentive to implement them at scale.

Third, integrating climate content across diverse disciplines, ranging from business and social sciences to arts and health, is difficult due to a lack of faculty preparedness. Many instructors report feeling ill-equipped to teach climate-related topics, citing both limited expertise and a lack of relevant resources. In K–12 settings, which parallel higher education challenges, teachers express similar difficulties: many lack confidence in teaching about climate change and say high-quality, discipline-appropriate teaching materials are hard to find.

Moreover, faculty training and time constraints pose structural barriers. A Cornell study on active learning in higher education found that even when educators are motivated to adopt new pedagogical methods, 42.8% report they simply don’t have the time to redesign their teaching approaches. Translating that to climate literacy, faculty across disciplines need dedicated professional development, curriculum redesign support, and time — resources that many institutions struggle to allocate.

The Road Ahead for Climate Literacy in Higher Education

Nonetheless, the trajectory is clear. Just as computer literacy became a universal expectation in higher education during the late 20th century, climate literacy is rapidly becoming a baseline competency for the 21st century. Universities like UCSD, ASU, SFSU, UC Davis, and those exploring similar mandates are preparing students for citizenship in a changing world. If public university systems collectively adopt climate literacy mandates, we may soon see a generation of climate-informed graduates become the norm.

To help accelerate this shift, educators, students, and administrators can tap into free tools designed to make climate education both rigorous and accessible. Explore the EarthDay.org Education Resource Library for lesson plans, activities, and guides that can support the integration of climate literacy into any discipline. The resources are ready, and what’s needed now is the commitment to use them.

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As the climate crisis intensifies, inland cities typically insulated from hurricanes and sea-level rise are becoming unlikely epicenters of disaster. From scorching heatwaves to catastrophic wildfires and multi-year droughts, these urban areas have felt the full force of rising global temperatures. 

Their vulnerability is heightened by geography, infrastructural gaps, and delayed adaptation policies. Below, we examine four inland cities that have faced climate-fueled catastrophes and explore how these events signal the new frontlines of planetary heating.

1. Paradise, California: The Town That Burned Overnight (2018)

On the morning of November 8, 2018, a spark from a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) transmission line ignited dry brush near Camp Creek Road in Butte County, California — giving the Camp Fire its name. Fueled by sustained winds of up to 35 mph and vegetation left parched by years of drought and record heat, the Camp Fire exploded in size, engulfing the entire town of Paradise by nightfall.

In just four hours, the fire leveled the town’s core, trapping residents in cars and homes. It became the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history, killing 85 people, injuring hundreds, and destroying over 18,800 structures, including 85% of Paradise’s homes and businesses. Nearly 50,000 people were displaced, with many still unable to return years later.

The fire burned over 150,000 acres, generating temperatures hot enough to melt aluminum car rims and leaving a toxic legacy of heavy metals and carcinogens in the soil. It emitted an estimated 5.5 million metric tons of CO2. Paradise’s vulnerability stemmed from a combination of fuel-loaded pine forests, suburban sprawl into fire-prone areas, and a warming climate that extended the fire season. In response, California passed new building codes and allocated $536 million for wildfire mitigation, but much of rural Northern California remains at risk.

2. Lytton, British Columbia: From Record Heat to Ruins (2021)

Lytton, a small village in the interior of British Columbia, was little known outside of Canada until it became the site of a record-breaking climate catastrophe. During the last week of June 2021, a high-pressure system created a “heat dome” over the Pacific Northwest, trapping hot air and pushing temperatures to unprecedented highs. On June 29, Lytton set a Canadian record of 49.6°C (121.3°F) — hotter than Las Vegas, Dubai, and any temperature ever recorded north of 50° latitude.

The next day, as residents sought refuge from the sweltering heat, a fire sparked near the town’s edge. Fanned by wind and bone-dry conditions, the flames overtook approximately 1000 residents’ homes, giving many only minutes to escape. 90% of the structures were destroyed, and two people were killed. The fire spread so quickly that even Canada’s advanced warning systems were unable to provide adequate alerts.

This event was one of the clearest examples yet of climate attribution science. Researchers concluded that the heat dome would have been “virtually impossible” without human-induced climate change, which made the event 150 times more likely. The dome caused over 600 excess deaths in British Columbia and cost billions in damages to crops, roads, and energy infrastructure. In rebuilding, Lytton is attempting to become a model “fire-resilient village” with fireproof materials, defensible space, and indigenous-led land stewardship. But the scars remain: physical, psychological, and ecological.

3. Chennai, India: A Megacity Runs Dry (2019)

In the summer of 2019, Chennai, a major inland city in southeastern India, faced an unprecedented water crisis that made headlines worldwide. Once known for its monsoon-fed reservoirs and thriving water temples, the city’s four main water sources, including Poondi, Red Hills, Chembarambakkam, and Cholavaram, were bone dry. Satellite images showed cracked earth where lakes had once been. For months, residents queued for hours in the heat, waiting for government water trucks, while businesses, schools, and hospitals scaled back operations or shut down entirely.

With over 11 million residents, Chennai had grown rapidly, but unregulated urban expansion, paving over wetlands, and excessive groundwater extraction had depleted the city’s natural hydrology. Groundwater levels fell by 80%, where 13 out of 16 groundwater assessment units in Chennai are classified as over-exploited. Groundwater is being withdrawn far faster than it is replenished, which is a clear sign of a deepening urban water crisis. Compounding the crisis was a 43% country-wide deficit in monsoon rainfall and extreme summer temperatures nearing 108°F (42°C), which increased demand just as supplies vanished.

Climate scientists warn that such crises will become more frequent in South Asia due to shifting monsoon patterns, sea-level rise (which salinizes freshwater aquifers), and urban heat islands. In fact, Chennai is listed among 21 Indian cities projected to completely deplete their groundwater reserves by 2030. In response, the city has invested in rainwater harvesting, desalination plants, and wastewater recycling. But critics say efforts are too little, too late. The crisis exposed the systemic inequity of water access, with poor and marginalized communities bearing the brunt of failed governance and rising temperatures.

4. Canberra, Australia: The Capital Chokes on Fire and Smoke (2019–2020)

During Australia’s Black Summer of 2019–2020, the inland capital city of Canberra experienced a climate nightmare. Though over 100 miles from the coast, the city was surrounded by bushland vulnerable to prolonged drought and lightning-induced ignition. Record heat and a three-year rainfall deficit turned the landscape into tinder, and by January 2020, smoke from nearby fires blanketed the capital for half a month.

Air quality monitors recorded a PM2.5 index peaking at approximately 575 µg/m³ on January 1, 2020, which was the highest recorded daily average among all Australian capital cities. Public institutions were forced to shut down, tourism collapsed, and pharmacies ran out of masks as residents struggled to breathe. The smoke infiltrated buildings, hospital emergency visits surged, and at least 417 excess deaths were attributed to smoke inhalation across the country.

In total, the Black Summer fires burned over 46 million acres, killed or displaced an estimated 3 billion animals, and destroyed over 3,500 homes nationwide. In Canberra’s backyard, the Namadgi National Park saw 80% of its area burned, decimating biodiversity and carbon sinks. The fires were fueled by Australia’s hottest year on record, which was 1.52°C above the 1961–1990 average, as well as a smoke-infused thunderstorm linked to climate-induced atmospheric changes.

Canberra’s experience shattered the illusion that the capital, with its greenbelts and planned neighborhoods, was somehow immune to nature’s fury. The event sparked calls for stronger federal climate policy, as Australia remains one of the highest per-capita emitters in the developed world.

Conclusion: Inland Doesn’t Mean Immune

Paradise, Lytton, Chennai, and Canberra illustrate the diverse and deadly ways climate change manifests far from coastlines. These are part of a global pattern of intensifying extremes. Inland cities face slower government responses, weaker infrastructure, and limited international attention despite shouldering a growing share of climate impacts. From fire and smoke to thirst and heat, the disasters hitting these places are warning shots for the rest of the world.

The path forward must include early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, environmental justice policies, and a most urgent transition away from fossil fuels. We cannot allow political rollbacks to stall progress. 

Tell your state lawmakers to stop rollbacks and commit to renewable energy by taking action here, and add your voice to the Our Power, Our Planet petition to help secure a just future for us all.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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While some U.S. cities are playing catch-up on climate, others are sprinting ahead by reimagining their energy infrastructure from the ground up. From net-zero architecture to battery-backed solar grids, these communities are proving that innovation isn’t confined to Silicon Valley. It’s happening in city halls, community colleges, and public works departments, across the nation – redefining what a clean energy future can look like.

Spokane, Washington: Hydropower Meets a Range of 21st-Century Innovation

Spokane already benefits from a carbon-light grid thanks to Washington State’s legacy hydropower system, but it’s not using that as an excuse to sit still. Instead, the city is positioning itself as a testing ground for clean technology and grid modernization. These efforts are part of a broader, coordinated strategy to build local resilience and accelerate climate action, supported by both state and city-level initiatives.

The updated Washington Climate Commitment Act, or WCC, outlines a comprehensive strategy to modernize Spokane’s energy infrastructure while centering equity, resilience, and local job creation. This is supported in part by a cap-and-invest program, which raises funds by selling permits that allow for carbon emissions. The money collected is then used to fund initiatives that lower greenhouse gas emissions and enhance quality of life in local communities.The Act is projected to create over 45,000 jobs and generate $9.1 billion in statewide economic output over the next eight years, with Spokane poised to benefit from investments in clean power, public transit, green construction, and industrial decarbonization. The Act is also expected to attract billions in private funding and more in federal funding, positioning Spokane as a hub for both climate innovation and economic revitalization.

Spokane’s Sustainability Action Plan, updated in 2021, complements the goals of the WCC by providing a city-level roadmap to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030. While the WCC drives state-level investments and regulatory frameworks, the local plan translates those goals into on-the-ground projects—advancing climate resilience, accelerating energy infrastructure upgrades, and prioritizing equity through initiatives like building electrification, community solar, and workforce development in historically underserved neighborhoods.

Spokane is home to one of the most ambitious net-zero energy projects in the country: known as the Catalyst Building, which is now home to Eastern Washington University departments and labs. This 159,000-square-foot facility is designed to carry out zero energy and zero carbon certification while maintaining construction costs on par with conventional buildings. With its integration of solar, geothermal, and cutting-edge design strategies, the Catalyst Building reflects Spokane’s commitment to climate innovation and proves that carbon-neutral architecture can be both scalable and economically viable.

Spokane’s utility provider, Avista, is actively modernizing the city grid through a phased smart meter rollout, installing advanced meters that enable two-way communication between customers and the utility. Allowing households and businesses to monitor their energy use in real time, this provides them with greater control over their consumption patterns, while improving reliability and operational efficiency. 

Building on this, Avista is also piloting two time-of-use (TOU) pricing programs for residential and small commercial customers in Washington. These programs incentivize users to shift electricity use to off-peak hours, helping to reduce the strain on the grid and lowering bills for customers who can adjust their habits. 

These innovations are increasingly important as electric vehicles and electric appliances become more widespread. By managing peak load more strategically, Avista is preparing Spokane’s grid for the realities of mass electrification, ensuring that the transition to clean energy remains both resilient and cost-effective.

What sets Spokane apart is the city’s willingness to rethink how that energy is managed, distributed, and optimized. With strong city-university partnerships and a growing green tech sector, Spokane is shaping the clean grid of the future in real time.

Richmond, California: Battery Storage, Rooftop Solar, and Environmental Justice in Action

Once defined by the towering presence of the Chevron oil refinery on its shoreline, Richmond has become a case study in what it looks like for a fossil fuel town to push back and pave the way for a cleaner future. 

The city of Richmond, located in the East Bay, is building real electrification and energy efficiency models and is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving indoor air quality, and supporting health and employment outcomes. Especially for residents living in older buildings and disadvantaged neighborhoods, these efforts aim to address longstanding environmental and social inequities.

Through its partnership with Marin Clean Energy (MCE), a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) provider, Richmond residents have default access to 60-100% renewable electricity, giving the city a unique level of autonomy from investor-owned utility PG&E. Community Choice Aggregation is a model that allows cities and counties to procure electricity on behalf of their residents from cleaner sources, while the existing utility (like PG&E for the Northern California region) continues to handle delivery and billing. This gives Richmond more local control over its energy mix and enables a shift away from fossil fuel–based power.

But Richmond’s work extends beyond the grid deep into the community. In recent years, the city has funded residential and commercial rooftop solar installations that were made possible by streamlining permitting, partnerships, and incentive programs ⸺ all targeted towards affordable housing, municipal buildings, and business sites. 

Plus, Richmond’s Green-Blue New Deal aims to create over 1,000 new green jobs in the renewable energy sector, through building electrification, and via sustainable infrastructure creation. Programs like Richmond Rising and Groundwork Richmond provide hands-on training in clean energy and urban forestry for youth, while a partnership with the Safe Return Project offers dedicated career pathways for formerly incarcerated residents who wish to enter the green workforce.

Perhaps most importantly, Richmond’s clean energy planning is embedded in broader struggles for racial and environmental justice. Long before terms like “just transition” entered the mainstream, local groups like the Richmond Progressive Alliance and APEN (Asian Pacific Environmental Network) were advocating for community-controlled energy. Today, those visions are becoming reality through tangible, neighborhood-scale investments in power, both literal and political.

Fayetteville, Arkansas: Clean Energy Momentum in the Ozarks

Fayetteville, nestled in the rolling hills of the Ozarks, might not be the first city that comes to mind in conversations about renewable energy — but it should be. In 2018, it became the first city in Arkansas to formally commit to 100% clean energy, setting a goal of decarbonizing municipal operations by 2030 and reaching citywide net-zero emissions by 2050. What makes Fayetteville stand out is how it’s transforming bold commitments into on-the-ground tangible progress.

The city has constructed two large solar arrays, including one paired with a battery storage facility, that now power municipal buildings and wastewater treatment plants. These projects not only reduce emissions but are projected to save the city millions in electricity costs over the coming decades. 

The City of Fayetteville and University of Arkansas’s Office of Sustainability have emphasized regional collaboration in order to share best practices and build clean energy capacity across Northwest Arkansas. And despite being in a state where fossil fuels remain politically dominant, Fayetteville’s 2024 Climate Action Plan has successfully framed its energy work around values such as economic independence, local control, and public accountability.Positioning climate action as a function of good governance rather than partisan politics is exactly what we need.

Fayetteville is proving that sustainability isn’t limited by geography and political climate, but rather, it thrives wherever there is local leadership and a vision for long-term resilience.

Gridlocked to Groundbreaking: Cities Turning Climate Ambition Into Action

From the Pacific Northwest to the Ozark Mountains, these U.S. cities are proving that bold climate action doesn’t require being ‘woke’, or a coastal tech hub or a policy powerhouse. 

Whether it’s Richmond transforming a legacy of fossil fuels into a foundation for environmental justice, or Fayetteville leading a clean energy charge in a conservative stronghold, each city is confronting the challenge of what is best for the members of its community.

Their work reminds us that clean energy transitions aren’t acquired through one-size-fits-all approaches. They’re adaptive and rooted in the unique strengths and needs of each community. And while the technologies of solar arrays, smart meters, net-zero buildings matter, it’s the creativity and collaboration behind these tools that truly power the shift.

As the climate crisis accelerates, these cities are preparing their residents for the future in a sensible and pragmatic way. They show that the road to resilience and equity can start anywhere, and that the future of energy is already being built in school districts, utility boards, and city councils by people who are willing to think differently and act decisively.

If this inspires you, don’t wait! Join our growing network of volunteers and connect with others in your community who are taking action for change. Together, we can turn shared passion into real progress.

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July 26 is World Mangrove Day, a moment to celebrate not just mangroves, but all the trees that protect our coastlines, clean our air, and sustain our ecosystems. Mangroves are special in the way that they serve as carbon sinks, storm buffers, and biodiversity hotspots. But even beyond the mangrove forests, trees everywhere are doing more than meets the eye. Most people know trees produce oxygen and offer shade, but that barely scratches the bark. Beneath the surface lies a hidden world of intelligence and ecological communication.

Here are six surprising facts about trees that will leave you in awe of the next one you walk past, and remind you why forests are worth protecting.

1. Trees Communicate With Each Other Through a Hidden Underground Network

If you thought the idea of talking trees belonged only in fantasy novels, think again. Trees actually communicate and share resources with one another through an underground fungal network often referred to as the “Wood Wide Web.” This network is made up of mycorrhizal fungi that connect the roots of different trees and plants.

Through these fungal threads, trees can send sugars, nitrogen, phosphorus, and even chemical warnings about environmental threats like pests or drought. Some trees, especially older and larger ones often referred to as “mother trees,” are known to support younger or weaker trees by sending them nutrients through this network.

This form of communication  has major implications for forest health, resilience, and reforestation strategies. Scientists now know that logging practices that remove these elder trees can disrupt entire forest communities in unseen ways. We must love and protect our ‘mother’ trees.

2. Trees Can “Remember” Stress and Learn From It

No brain? No problem. While trees don’t have a central nervous system, recent research suggests that they can “remember” previous environmental conditions and adjust their behavior accordingly. Scientists studying drought conditions have found that trees exposed to water stress can adapt by closing their stomata (leaf pores) more quickly in subsequent droughts, effectively conserving water more efficiently.

This type of memory is biochemical, not neurological — but it challenges long-held assumptions about the limitations of plant intelligence. These adaptive responses allow trees to survive in changing climates, exhibiting that they are far more dynamic and responsive than we used to believe. In other words, your neighborhood oak might not just be standing there passively. It’s strategizing!

3. Trees Release Chemicals That Calm You Down

Ever noticed how a walk in the woods seems to melt your stress away? There’s science behind that. Trees release organic compounds called phytoncides, which help them protect themselves from insects and pathogens. When we breathe these chemicals in, they can reduce blood pressure, lower stress hormones, and boost immune system activity.

This effect is so powerful that Japan developed an entire practice around it called “shinrin-yoku,” or “forest bathing.” No hiking boots are required — just slowly walking through a wooded area and breathing deeply is enough to trigger a relaxation response.

Studies have even found that hospital patients recover faster when they have a view of trees from their window. Clearly, nature is a medicinal tool for all of us to utilize.

4. Urban Trees Can Cool Cities by Up to 9°F (5°C)

Trees are literal climate control systems. In cities, where pavement and concrete absorb and radiate heat, trees act as natural air conditioners. Through a process called transpiration, trees release water vapor into the air, which cools the surrounding environment. Combine that with the physical shade they provide, and trees can reduce temperatures in urban areas by up to 53.6°F!

This cooling effect has direct impacts on human health. During extreme heat events, shaded neighborhoods experience lower rates of heat-related illness and death. That makes tree equity (ensuring every neighborhood has access to tree cover) a matter of environmental justice. So the next time you step under a leafy canopy on a hot day, remember that tree might be saving lives.

5. One Tree Can Absorb Up to 48 Pounds of Carbon Dioxide Per Year

Trees are carbon sinks, which are natural systems that absorb and store carbon dioxide (CO2), the most prevalent greenhouse gas driving climate change. A single mature tree can absorb over 48 pounds of CO2 per year. Over 40 years, that’s nearly a ton of CO₂ removed from the atmosphere, and it is all just from one tree.

This makes trees essential allies in the fight against climate change. Forests worldwide absorb roughly 2.6 billion tons of CO2 annually, offsetting about one-third of the carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion.

But deforestation is rapidly threatening this carbon buffer. When trees are cut down or burned, that stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere. Protecting and expanding tree cover is one of the most cost-effective climate solutions available today.

6. Some Trees Can Live for Thousands of Years (and Don’t Die of Old Age)

Unlike humans and most animals, trees don’t have a fixed lifespan. That means they don’t die of old age in the typical biological sense. In the absence of disease, drought, and human interference, many trees can theoretically live forever.

Some of the world’s oldest living trees are over 4,000 years old. Take the bristlecone pine, for example. Found in the White Mountains of California, these ancient beings have weathered ice ages, lightning strikes, and windstorms. One particular tree named “Methuselah” is estimated to be 4,853 years old, making it the oldest known non-clonal organism on Earth.

Even when they appear dead above ground, parts of a tree’s root system continue living underground and they can also regenerate into a new tree. Trees are the ultimate survivors.

Why Trees Deserve More Than Just Our Admiration

From city sidewalks to coastal mangroves, trees are working silently behind the scenes to cool our planet, connect ecosystems, reduce stress, and capture carbon. They’re known as the pretty plants in the background, but ultimately, they are essential to life on Earth.

As we celebrate World Mangrove Day, let’s remember that every tree counts. And with deforestation and climate change threatening forests around the world, the time to act is now.

If you’re feeling inspired to help, check out EarthDay.org’s Canopy Project, which is a global reforestation initiative that plants trees in communities that need them most. Whether you’re planting a tree in your backyard or supporting global restoration efforts, you’re part of a solution that grows over time.

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When we think about the future of clean energy, it’s easy to focus on national headlines and federal climate commitments. But the real transformation is happening closer to home in cities and towns quietly redesigning how energy is produced, stored, and shared.

From microgrids and municipal utilities to solar-powered schools and equitable electrification, these cities are proving that renewable energy is a blueprint for rethinking how power flows, who controls it, and who benefits.

Ann Arbor, Michigan: Pioneering a Community-Owned Clean Energy Utility

In Ann Arbor, the climate conversation does not solely pertain to cutting carbon, spanning to discussion of who owns the transition. Through its A2Zero plan, the city has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, but it’s doing so in a way that prioritizes energy democracy. Rather than relying entirely on investor-owned utilities, Ann Arbor is laying the groundwork for a locally owned and operated solar utility that would supply renewable electricity directly to residents and small businesses. This project marks one of the most ambitious attempts in the U.S. to build a municipal solar provider from the ground up.

The utility will allow Ann Arborites to opt in to solar energy sourced from local installations, many of which will be built on city-owned properties such as fire stations, schools, and parking structures. What makes the model particularly innovative is its emphasis on accessibility for low-income households, who will be eligible for subsidized rates, and renters will be included through community solar options. Beyond its climate impact, the city views this initiative as an investment in local control, cost savings, and long-term resilience.

Public engagement has been central to the process, with Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability hosting regular town halls and inviting residents to shape the vision. In a state where utilities have long dominated the energy landscape, Ann Arbor is showing that cities don’t have to wait for top-down solutions, but they can build their own.

San Juan, Puerto Rico: Solar Microgrids for Resilience and Self-Determination

San Juan’s clean energy leadership was born out of crisis. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Puerto Rico’s centralized energy grid collapsed, leaving millions without power, and in some cases, for nearly a year. That experience catalyzed a grassroots movement for energy sovereignty, particularly in the capital city of San Juan. Today, the city is emerging as a leader in solar microgrid development, installing distributed renewable systems with battery backup to protect critical infrastructure and empower communities.

These microgrids, many of them powering schools, clinics, and community centers, allow neighborhoods to operate independently from the unstable central grid during outages. Nonprofits like Casa Pueblo and organizations such as the Solar Libre collective have worked closely with residents to deploy these systems in ways that center energy justice and joint participation.

San Juan’s clean energy transformation is systematizing building resilience in the face of climate disasters and reimagining who controls energy access. The city has also secured federal funding through the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund to expand its solar infrastructure to specifically target solar and battery storage installations for frontline communities and low-income households.

As mainland U.S. cities begin to confront increasingly frequent grid disruptions due to wildfires, storms, and heatwaves, San Juan’s decentralized, community-first approach offers a compelling and replicable model.

Cleveland, Ohio: Community Solar, Green Jobs, and a Vision for Energy Justice

Cleveland — a city that once symbolized industrial might and later, economic decline — is now emerging as a blueprint for what a just energy transition can look like in post-industrial cities. With its Clean and Equitable Energy Future plan, Cleveland is working to reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2050 while addressing deep-seated inequalities in access to clean energy, good jobs, and healthy environments.

One of the city’s most ambitious projects is a community solar initiative designed specifically for low-income households. Through strategic partnerships with nonprofits and housing organizations, Cleveland is installing shared solar systems that allow residents, even those without rooftops, to benefit from reduced utility bills and clean power access. Called the Solar for All program, it is structured to deliver monthly bill credits, creating real financial relief for families most burdened by energy costs.

Cleveland’s emphasis on equity extends beyond energy generation. The city has committed to training a green workforce, with programs within its 2025 Action Plan that link clean energy investments to job creation in neighborhoods historically cut off from economic opportunity. The Cleveland Climate Action Fund and local organizations like the Black Environmental Leaders Association have been instrumental in steering resources to BIPOC-led projects, ensuring that the clean energy transition doesn’t simply replicate old patterns of exclusion.

On the policy side, Cleveland is taking steps to phase out natural gas in municipal buildings, electrify its transit fleet, and strengthen energy efficiency standards in affordable housing. Rather than treating decarbonization as a standalone goal, Cleveland views climate action as a lever for repairing systemic harms, revitalizing local economies, and building collective power.

Power Starts at Home: How Local Action is Redefining the Clean Energy Movement

These cities are modeling what it looks like when local leadership meets climate ambition. They’re centering justice and ownership in the clean energy transition, and showing that building a better energy future starts right at home.

In Ann Arbor, public town halls and energy democracy are driving a new municipal solar utility. In San Juan, grassroots resilience is rewriting the rules of disaster recovery. In Cleveland, a post-industrial city is proving that the shift to clean power can repair past inequities while building new economic opportunities.

Together, these communities offer blueprints for how the clean energy revolution isn’t just about new technologies and  distant policy goals. It’s about shifting power—literally and politically—into the hands of people most affected by climate change. It’s about making sure the benefits of clean power reach renters, frontline neighborhoods, and future generations.

Want your community to reap the benefits of solar? Send a letter telling your state lawmakers to invest in renewable energy.

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What Carbon Is — and What It Isn’t

Carbon often gets framed as the villain in climate change — but in truth, it’s the element that makes life possible. It’s in your DNA, the food on your plate, and the air you exhale. Carbon atoms are the building blocks of organic molecules, capable of forming chains and structures that drive nearly every biological process.

Scientifically, carbon is element number 6 on the periodic table. It is small but incredibly versatile, able to form strong bonds with other elements like hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. That versatility is why it appears in everything from proteins and fossil fuels to wood and plastic.

But when people talk about “cutting carbon,” what they usually mean is cutting carbon dioxide (CO₂), which is a heat-trapping gas that’s released when carbon bonds with oxygen during combustion, respiration, and decay. Conflating carbon with carbon dioxide oversimplifies the problem. The issue isn’t carbon itself, but rather where it’s accumulating.

How Carbon Moves — and Where It’s Getting Stuck

Carbon dioxide constantly cycles through our planet’s air, oceans, soil, and living things. This is called the carbon cycle, and it’s what keeps Earth in balance.

Plants pull CO₂out of the atmosphere during photosynthesis and turn it into sugars. Animals eat those plants (or other animals who ate those plants through the carbon transfer process), and the carbon moves through the food chain. When organisms die, some carbon returns to the atmosphere through decomposition, while the rest is stored in soil, rock, or water. Over millions of years, that stored carbon can become fossil fuels, like oil and coal

But our carbon  balance is now in flux. Human activities, including deforestation, fossil fuel combustion, construction and building works as well as industrial farming, are rapidly releasing ancient carbon stores that have been sequestered in geological formations like rocks, deep soils, and permafrost for thousands to millions of years, overwhelming the capacity of the Earth’s natural systems to reabsorb them.

This overload is pushing the carbon cycle out of sync. Forests that once acted as significant carbon stocks are aging, and absorbing less CO₂ over time. In some areas, wildfires are  releasing stored carbon in our trees essentially back into the atmosphere almost instantly. Soils degraded by over-tilling and chemical inputs are losing their carbon content, making them less fertile and more prone to erosion and flooding. And in the Arctic, thawing permafrost is releasing methane and carbon dioxide that had been frozen for thousands of years.

Instead of circulating smoothly and steadily through ecosystems, carbon dioxide is building up in our atmosphere. Acting like a thermal blanket, CO₂ absorbs heat radiating from Earth’s surface and re-emits it back towards the planet, trapping warmth and driving climate change. .

Small Gas, Big Heat

Even though CO₂only makes up about 0.04% of the atmosphere, its influence is enormous. 

Other atmospheric gases like nitrogen and oxygen don’t interact with heat this way. They let thermal energy pass through. But CO₂, along with methane and nitrous oxide, traps it.

This greenhouse effect is not inherently bad. In fact, it’s the reason Earth isn’t a frozen wasteland. But since the Industrial Revolution, human-caused emissions have intensified this natural process. Today, there’s more heat entering Earth’s system than escaping it.

And carbon dioxide doesn’t dissipate quickly. Once emitted, it can persist in the atmosphere for hundreds, even thousands, of years. That means today’s emissions will continue warming the planet for generations to come.

Carbon Sinks — Nature’s Storage Systems

Thankfully, not all CO₂ stays in the atmosphere. About half of the carbon dioxide released by human activity each year is absorbed by carbon sinks — forests, oceans, wetlands, and soils that pull more carbon in than they let out.

Forests play a big role here. Trees absorb carbon as they grow, and that carbon stays stored in their trunks, leaves, and roots. Rainforests and peatlands are especially powerful, with the latter covering just 3% of Earth’s land but storing twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined.

The ocean is another massive sink. It has taken in about 30% of all emissions since the Industrial Revolution, thanks largely to plankton and cold surface waters that absorb CO₂ from the air.

Soils, too, are carbon vaults. Healthy soils are full of organic carbon, which supports microbes, fungi, and plant growth. Practices like no-till farming and cover cropping increase soil carbon, while fuel-intensive farming depletes it.

But these sinks are under stress. Deforestation around the world, including in both our wet and dry forests, has turned some regions from carbon sinks into carbon sources. That is why they produce more CO₂ than they absorb. Plus, ocean warming is disrupting circulation patterns, reducing the sea’s ability to absorb CO₂ as well. Intensive agriculture has degraded soil so severely that it has slashed its carbon storage capacity by 50–75%, pushing once-fertile land toward desertification and threatening long-term ecosystem stability.

Carbon Solutions — It’s Bigger Than Footprints

More than 70% of global emissions since 1988 have come from just 100 companies. That’s why systemic solutions in policy, energy, agriculture, and finance are key.

One powerful example: large-scale public investment in renewable energy infrastructure. By transitioning electric grids away from fossil fuels and scaling clean energy access, especially in underserved communities, we can reduce emissions at the source while building a more just and resilient energy future.

Nature-based solutions, like reforestation and regenerative agriculture, offer lower-cost, high-impact alternatives. Replanting forests, restoring mangroves, which absorb more CO₂ than any other tree type, and applying compost to cropland all draw carbon down from the sky and out of the atmosphere. 

Soil carbon initiatives, like those that reward farmers for adding organic matter, improve both climate outcomes and food production. For instance, practices such as cover cropping and reduced tillage help restore soil structure, increase microbial activity, and enhance water retention. As farmers adopt these regenerative methods, not only does the soil sequester more carbon from the atmosphere, but crop yields often improve due to healthier, more resilient ecosystems. Programs that offer financial incentives for these practices are gaining traction globally, turning farms into carbon sinks while also supporting food security in the face of climate stress.

These approaches also build resilience to droughts, protect biodiversity, and create green jobs. To put it simply, they’re part of a powerful toolkit.

The Carbon We Keep — and the One We Release

Carbon isn’t the enemy. It’s the thread that connects biology, geology, and climate. It helps mushrooms grow and coral reefs form. It strengthens soil, builds cells, and fuels life. 18.5% of a human’s body mass is carbon — so the problem isn’t carbon itself — it’s what we’ve done with it.

By digging up ancient carbon stores and overloading the atmosphere, we’ve unbalanced a system millions of years in the making. Rebalancing it means protecting the sinks we have, restoring the ones we’ve lost, and stopping the flow of emissions at the source.

Carbon’s not  the villain. The real threat is carbon dioxide; too much of it, in the wrong place, for too long.

The Canopy Project is working to restore forests, improve local ecosystems, and combat climate change through global reforestation efforts. Your donation helps plant trees in communities most vulnerable to environmental degradation, supporting both biodiversity and climate resilience. Even a small contribution can have a lasting impact, like sequestering carbon, improving air and water quality, and empowering communities around the world. Join the movement and help grow a healthier planet, one tree at a time.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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