States Accelerate Climate Efforts as Trump Rolls Back Federal Policies

Democratic-led states take on greater responsibility to cut greenhouse gas emissions amid federal inaction.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Across the country, Democratic-led states are accelerating their initiatives to cut greenhouse gas emissions as federal action on climate change stalls under the Trump administration. From Colorado offering bigger electric vehicle incentives to Virginia making it easier to build solar farms, states are stepping up to fill the gap left by the rollback of federal climate regulations.

Why it matters

With the Trump administration moving to stop regulating greenhouse gas emissions, state-level climate policies have taken on newfound urgency. While experts say a patchwork of state policies is no substitute for federal leadership, state action will be crucial for the U.S. to continue its shift away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner energy in the coming years.

The details

In Colorado, legislators are planning to give drivers a $2,000 discount on new electric vehicle purchases, more than doubling the current state incentive. In Virginia, lawmakers want to make it easier for counties to approve large solar projects, as opposition to renewable energy has grown across the country. And in California, legislators are considering a measure that would require oil and gas companies to help cover soaring home insurance costs caused by climate-fueled disasters like wildfires.

  • In 2019, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis set a goal of reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2030.
  • The Virginia House and Senate recently passed a bill to prohibit local governments from banning large solar projects.
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, but it was blocked by the Trump administration.

The players

Jared Polis

The Democratic governor of Colorado who set a goal of reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2030.

Abigail Spanberger

The moderate Democratic governor of Virginia who is expected to receive a bill to make it easier to build large solar projects in the state.

Gavin Newsom

The Democratic governor of California who announced a ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, which was blocked by the Trump administration.

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What they’re saying

“Trump is slowing down the transition, but the overall trajectory in Colorado will still be toward a pretty rapid reduction in greenhouse gas pollution and rapid adoption of electric vehicles.”

— Will Toor, Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office (New York Times)

“We need to do everything we can to get more cheap energy online, and that means a lot more solar.”

— Schuyler VanValkenburg, Virginia State Senator (New York Times)

“If your house is burning down and your insurance costs are quadrupling, or you no longer have insurance, your life is now more expensive and worse because of climate change.”

— Scott Wiener, California State Senator (New York Times)

What’s next

The Virginia bill to make it easier to build large solar projects is expected to reach the desk of Gov. Abigail Spanberger in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

With the federal government rolling back climate regulations, state-level action has become crucial for the U.S. to continue its transition to clean energy. Democratic-led states are stepping up with a range of initiatives, from electric vehicle incentives to solar-friendly policies, demonstrating that climate progress can still be made despite the lack of federal leadership.