Good Climate News

Good Climate News Roundup – Earth Month 2025

Apr 30, 2025
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This Earth Month, activists from across the country showed up to advocate on behalf of our communities and the environment, from local grassroots to federal efforts. We’re celebrating our planet, and all the people who are fighting to protect it, with this Earth Month roundup of good climate news.

Clean energy continues to grow across the U.S.

Even in the face of an unfriendly administration, clean energy continues to make strides across the country. In March 2025, renewable energy provided more electricity to the U.S. grid than fossil fuels for the first time ever. During that month, clean energy provided 51% of U.S. electricity, compared to fossil fuels’ 49%. This is a major milestone for clean energy in the U.S. which continues to prove its strength despite the constant barrage of attacks from the administration.

In fact, a recent analysis from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and BloombergNEF shows that even if Trump succeeds in implementing his deregulatory agenda, renewable energy generation in the U.S. will continue to increase. The durability of the clean energy transition is great news for the future of our planet and the health of our communities.

In another milestone, the city of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin became the first city in the state to run all city operations on 100% renewable energy. All of Sun Prairie’s street lights, well pumps, city facilities and more are now operating on zero-emissions energy, which is lowering energy costs for city residents and reducing harmful emissions.

Wisconsin secures pro-environment, pro-democracy Supreme Court

Judge Susan Crawford stands in a courtroom. Judge Susan Crawford is the newest member of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Credit: Susan Crawford for Wisconsin

Judge Susan Crawford’s victory in this month’s Wisconsin Supreme Court race secures a pro-democracy, pro-environment majority on the court that will safeguard Wisconsin’s future for generations to come. LCV state affiliate Wisconsin Conservation Voters Independent Expenditure Committee worked tirelessly to secure this victory, spending over $1.13 million and mobilizing thousands of volunteers in support of Judge Crawford. Volunteers knocked on 130,000 doors and sent 21,100 postcards in the lead up to the election to ensure voters knew what was at stake.

Judicial victories for environmental programs

In a long awaited decision, Judge Tanya Chutkan of the District Court for the District of Columbia ruled EPA illegally froze $20 billion in congressionally appropriated climate grants obligated to eight nonprofit organizations. EPA alleged there was fraud within the program, but could produce no evidence to support their claim. Due to this lack of evidence, Chutkan ordered the immediate release of the frozen funds to the organizations. While EPA has appealed the ruling, it sets an important precedent for holding agencies accountable for carrying out congressionally mandated duties.

Later the same week, Judge Mary McElroy, a Trump appointee, ruled that several agencies, including EPA, the Department of Energy, and the Department of the Interior, must immediately resume disbursing funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and bipartisan infrastructure law (IIJA). The funding had been indefinitely and illegally frozen since January. McElroy’s order will apply to all IRA and IIJA grants, not just the ones involved in the lawsuit, making this a huge win for climate progress.

A federal judge in New York dismissed a lawsuit that aimed to roll back air emissions rules in New York City. The lawsuit was brought against a 2021 NYC law that sets strict air emissions limits for new construction, effectively banning the use of natural gas in new buildings. This dismissal could inspire other cities to pursue ambitious action on natural gas.

Hands Off! rallies protest the Trump administration’s agenda

Protesters hold up green LCV-branded signs reading "Climate Action Now" and "We Support Clean Energy Jobs." Photo Credit: Jessie Cohen, LCV

As Donald Trump and his cronies amped up their attacks on democracy and environmental protections, millions of protestors gathered at 1,400+ Hands Off! rallies across the country to push back on their harmful and dangerous agenda. The incredible show of support for protecting clean energy, national parks, environmental regulations and more at these rallies showcased the popularity of environmental protection across the country. It also sent a powerful message to the administration that their agenda this is not what the people want, and we aren’t just going to stand by and let them destroy the environment and our democracy.

Want more good climate news?

Follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, and X (formerly Twitter) for weekly Good Climate News updates. We’ll be back on The Power Source blog next month with another roundup of highlights.

In this fraught political moment, it is more important than ever to make your voice heard to protect people and the planet. One of the most effective ways to get involved in making positive change is by calling your members of Congress. If you’ve never called before, or you just need a refresher, check out this blog on how to call your members of Congress!

To get involved in bringing about even more good climate news, join us at lcv.org/get-involved/.