How a Republican election sweep could transform U.S. climate policy

Defunding or dismantling federal agencies focused on the environment. Slashing regulations aimed at combating climate change and cutting deadly air pollution. Boosting the use of fossil fuels that have helped drive the U.S. economy but also contribute to the heat waves afflicting millions of Americans this summer.

Ask your climate questions. With the help of generative Al, we'll try to deliver answers based on our published reporting.

These are just some of the ways Republicans could shift U.S. climate policy if they win the White House, flip the Senate and maintain their House majority in the November election. While such a scenario seemed less likely a few weeks ago, it appears more probable in light of President Biden’s disastrous debate performance, an increasingly brutal Senate map for Democrats, and an attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump that has invigorated his base.