A little over one year ago, we predicted how Trump’s second term would be devastating to climate change efforts. Today, the global climate agenda has undergone a sharp and unsettling shift, sadly making our 2024 prediction true.
What once felt like a shared international priority has rapidly lost political momentum, cultural attention, and economic certainty, even as the physical impacts of climate change continue to intensify.
A recent analysis by Axios describes this moment as a collapse in climate ambition that has spread well beyond government policy. It now reaches boardrooms, investment strategies, and popular culture, reshaping how climate action is discussed and, in some cases, whether it is discussed at all.
The End of Climate Cooperation
The most visible turning point came when President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the world’s flagship climate treaty, ending more than three decades of participation in global climate cooperation. The decision left the U.S. isolated and sent a clear signal that climate policy is no longer viewed as an area for collaboration.
Today, climate challenges have gone from being heavily emphasized to barely acknowledged at all. The shift reflects a broader retreat from multilateral approaches that once defined global climate efforts.
Climate Action Is Changing, Not Disappearing
Despite the pullback in rhetoric and regulation, climate action has not vanished entirely. Europe remains committed to long term emissions reductions, even if the pathways are changing. China continues to invest heavily in clean technologies, filling much of the policy vacuum left by the United States.
Venture capital investment in climate and clean tech has declined since its 2021 peak, but total funding levels remain far higher than they were a decade ago, suggesting that the transition is slowing rather than stopping.
The Planet Keeps Sending Clear Signals
What makes this moment especially troubling is the growing disconnect between politics and reality. According to Reuters, 2025 was the hottest year ever recorded globally. Rising temperatures are no longer abstract warnings but are a real problem.
This new report fully aligns with our blog post last week that predicted the top 2026 climate catastrophes with record-breaking heat waves coming in as the top challenge we will face this year.
Why the .Earth Domain Matters Now More Than Ever
As climate ambition becomes more fragmented and global cooperation more difficult, the need for trusted and independent spaces for climate dialogue grows. Fortunately, our .earth domain tribe is leading the way, and will continue to fight back in the name of Earth.
As we mark ten years of the .earth domain, we are celebrating our global tribe of more than 40,000 organizations and individuals using the online world to push for accountability, transparency, and environmental responsibility. We invite you to join our anniversary promotion and become part of the global .earth domain tribe as we move into the next decade.
To learn more about securing your .earth domain, visit Voices.Earth. You can also hear directly from organizations and individuals shaping the future in the Voices.Earth podcast series.
