A Green Gavel: The Most Consequential Climate Policies of 2026 by Sara Torres

Arctic Caribou

Climate Policy at the Midyear Mark

As the midpoint of the year comes to pass, we have the opportunity to review the progress governments have made in recent months to address climate change. A 2025 study from Yale University found that 63% of American adults are worried about climate change, making environmental initiatives an important factor for many voters. Furthermore, MIT estimates that rising temperatures can cost American households over $1,300 annually, with more intense impacts felt in disaster-prone regions. Given the significant economic implications of this issue, policymakers have been searching for ways to implement sustainable solutions across state and federal levels. However, the U.S. has faced polarization of environmental issues since the 1970s, and today’s increasingly divided political state is exacerbating lawmakers’ struggle to achieve bipartisan support for federal climate policies. 

Drilling in the Arctic Refuge

The Trump Administration has faced frequent criticism from environmentalists for its “drill baby, drill” approach and rapid deregulation of climate initiatives. This ideology has recently manifested itself in the Bureau of Land Management’s approval for oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

On June 5, this 1.56 million acre Coastal Plain attracted $3.7 million in winning bids from oil companies. The ANWR serves as a biodiversity hotspot, home to migratory species of birds, caribou, and various marine mammals. The project’s need for new infrastructure paired with the possibility of oil spills places this completely undeveloped land at high risk for biodiversity loss.

Alaska’s native tribes have expressed mixed opinions on the bureau’s approval for development. Some residents, such as those in the northern village of Kaktovik have shown appreciation for the economic benefits of the project, while other communities demonstrate concern about the impacts drilling may have on hunting – a cultural practice which is overwhelmingly dependent on overall ecosystem health. This delicate balance between economic development and environmental protection is at the center of policy debates across the country, as lawmakers are tasked with developing compromises that are sustainable for both our planet and finances. 

Federal Rollbacks:  From Paris to the EPA

Beginning in January of 2026, the federal government pursued major alterations to existing climate policy. On January 7, a presidential memorandum indicated U.S. withdrawal from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC is composed of various scientists and policy experts who compile reports on the development, impacts, and mitigation strategies for climate change. The UNFCCC was the first international climate treaty, and it gradually set the framework for initiatives such as the Paris Climate Accord and Kyoto Protocol. While both of these international agreements establish general guidelines rather than strict regulations, U.S. withdrawal may have implications beyond domestic policy changes. As the world’s biggest historic polluter, the U.S. is a major player in the international conversation on climate change and may discourage other countries from adhering to more progressive climate policies. 

Another significant policy change this year was the rollback of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) endangerment finding. Following years of research, this 2009 finding officially stated that greenhouse gas emissions threaten public health. The endangerment finding justifies the EPA’s role in managing substances that “may be reasonably anticipated to endanger public health or welfare” under the Clean Air Act. The agency revoked this finding in early February, removing emission limits for vehicles and power plants across the country. This rollback overturns 16 years of precedent regarding federal agencies’ ability to interpret the Clean Air Act, arguing that the EPA lacks congressional authorization to impose emission limits. Organizations such as the American Public Health Association, Environmental Defense Fund, and American Lung Association have challenged this decision in court, urging federal regulations to be reinstated. Experts warn that this rollback is likely to exacerbate financial and health burdens for Americans as climate change worsens.  

Where States Are Filling the Gap

Despite sweeping federal efforts to loosen climate regulations, various states have implemented their own solutions to improve the health of their constituents and ecosystems. Members of the United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors, have lowered greenhouse gas emissions to 24% below 2005 levels while simultaneously expanding GDP by 34% faster than other states.

Clean and affordable energy is a major focus for many states, namely Virginia, which established a multifaceted clean energy package earlier this year. Their plan expands grid access, limits carbon emissions at data centers, and connects utilities to clean energy sources such as rooftop solar and home batteries.

Agrivoltaics has also emerged as a promising solution across states, with 30 bills for its development already introduced in 2026. This process utilizes farmland to generate solar power alongside crops, decreasing the need for land use changes. State governments are furthermore advancing decarbonization efforts within their transportation and building sectors. Modeled off existing legislation in California, Oregon, and Washington, seven more states recently introduced low-carbon fuel standards. The most effective policies don’t just support EV use, but also require fuel suppliers to gradually reduce the carbon intensity of their products to facilitate a smooth transition away from fossil fuels. Additionally, thermal energy projects have primarily emerged on the east coast, which reduce fossil fuel reliance, create new jobs, and lower long-term energy costs. This year has highlighted the adaptability of state governments as they plan to advance localized solutions for climate change.  

The Role of the Informed Citizen

Navigating climate policy is challenging for citizens and lawmakers alike, as there’s no precedent for combating this complicated international issue. While climate change may seem daunting, you don’t have to be a lawmaker to make an impact. It’s vital to stay updated on local environmental issues and programs to give feedback to representatives.

Citizens becoming informed, passionate, and involved in the decision-making process is key in progressing sustainable governance.    

Resources

ANWR Project

·         Environmental & Energy Law Program, Harvard Law School. "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — Oil and Gas Development." Regulatory Tracker, last updated June 5, 2026. https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/tracker/arctic-national-wildlife-refuge-oil-and-gas-development/

·         Bureau of Land Management. "BLM announces 2026 oil and gas lease sale in Alaska's Coastal Plain." Press release, April 17, 2026. https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-announces-2026-oil-and-gas-lease-sale-alaskas-coastal-plain

·         Audubon Society. "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge." https://www.audubon.org/conservation/arctic-national-wildlife-refuge

·         Early, Wesley. "ANWR lease sale draws $3.7M in winning bids, but major oil and gas players stay home." Alaska Public Media, June 5, 2026. https://alaskapublic.org/news/economy/energy/2026-06-05/anwr-lease-sale-draws-3-7m-in-winning-bids-but-major-oil-and-gas-players-stay-home

Endangerment Finding Rollback

·         American Public Health Association, et al. v. EPA. Petition for Review, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, filed February 18, 2026. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026.02.18-pios-petition-docketed.pdf

·         Brown, Sarah. "EPA Repeals Legal Basis for Regulating Greenhouse Gases. What it Means for the US — and the World." World Resources Institute, February 19, 2026. https://www.wri.org/insights/endangerment-finding-repeal-explained

International Action

·         Evans, Simon. "Analysis: World's biggest historic polluter – the US – is pulling out of UN climate treaty." Carbon Brief, January 8, 2026. https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-worlds-biggest-historic-polluter-the-us-is-pulling-out-of-un-climate-treaty/

·         Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. "IPCC Statement on the US announcement to withdraw from participation in IPCC." January 8, 2026. https://www.ipcc.ch/2026/01/08/st01-us/

·         Elkerbout, Milan. "If/Then: America's Great Global Governance Withdrawal Risks Global Climate Action." Resources for the Future, February 12, 2026. https://www.resources.org/common-resources/ifthen-americas-great-global-governance-withdrawal-risks-global-climate-action/

·         Biniaz, Sue, and Jean Galbraith. "Legal and Practical Implications of the U.S. Withdrawal from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change." Just Security, January 14, 2026. https://www.justsecurity.org/128687/implications-us-withdrawal-unfccc/

Other Resources

·         Duran, Andrea Gracia. "Exploring Opportunities for Legislative Bipartisanship on U.S. Climate Mitigation." UC Santa Barbara, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, April 5, 2022. https://bren.ucsb.edu/news/exploring-opportunities-legislative-bipartisanship-us-climate-mitigation

·         MIT Sloan Office of Communications. "Why climate change is costing U.S. households hundreds of dollars a year." MIT Sloan, April 7, 2026. https://mitsloan.mit.edu/press/why-climate-change-costing-u-s-households-hundreds-dollars-a-year

·         Marlon, Jennifer, Emily Goddard, Peter Howe, Matto Mildenberger, Martial Jefferson, Jennifer Carman, Seth Rosenthal, Eric Fine, Emily Richards, and Anthony Leiserowitz. "Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2025." Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, May 4, 2026. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/

·         Bell, Frederick. "State Climate Action in 2026: How States Are Delivering Real Benefits Through Climate and Clean Energy Policy." Center for American Progress, April 24, 2026. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/state-climate-action-in-2026-how-states-are-delivering-real-benefits-through-climate-and-clean-energy-policy/