As the world grapples with climate change, some seem determined to roll back progress rather than push forward. The Trump administration is spearheading efforts to dismantle the EPA’s endangerment finding, a cornerstone of U.S. climate regulation. Repealing it could severely weaken the Clean Air Act’s authority to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Climate denial networks are actively fueling this reversal, threatening decades of environmental safeguards just as the climate crisis intensifies.

The consequences are far-reaching. A new study shows that heatwaves are hurting students, particularly in under-resourced schools lacking cooling infrastructure. Girls’ academic performance is especially vulnerable, with each scorching summer eroding educational outcomes. The costs of inaction aren’t abstract. They show up in report cards and futures.

Across the Atlantic, the EU’s forests, once a powerful carbon sink, are faltering under pressure from logging and warming. As absorption drops, Europe’s climate goals face new headwinds. This decline is echoed globally. Earth’s terrestrial carbon sinks nearly collapsed in 2024, undercutting one of our last natural climate defenses.

Even wildlife isn’t spared. Monarch butterflies, already battered by habitat loss, are now falling victim to pesticides that poison their food supply. The iconic species’ survival hinges on actions we take now on farms, in policy, and in how we steward ecosystems.

Yet, amid this erosion of progress, some are lighting the path forward. Vatican City’s solar farm project is more than symbolism. It’s a plan to become the world’s first carbon-neutral state. It proves moral clarity and scientific ambition can go hand in hand.

Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice’s anticipated ruling could provide fresh legal grounds to hold polluters and governments accountable. Legal tools may become key levers when policy falls short.

In a moment where hard-won climate advances hang in the balance, our next steps matter. Do we let misinformation and inertia pull us back, or push harder for a future that protects people, nature, and possibility? Progress demands pressure. Let’s keep it on.