The long struggle continues. The billions spent by corrupt fossil companies and anti-democracy oligarchs have put Donald Trump over the top. There is much to mourn. And here is one thing that is true: Progress is hard to stop forever.

This is a time for solidarity, finding the spaces where we can preserve a fair society, and building back—just as advocates and communities have done over and over in this country’s fractured and difficult history for centuries. Fascists like Donald Trump are sloppy, corrupt, and vulnerable to pushback from democratic movements. They do not rule forever and they do not rule by fiat, as much as they might want to. 

This will not be the first time that America has been misruled, not the first time communities have worked to protect themselves from an uncaring government. It also won’t be the first time that the forces of the left have preserved progress. From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Era, to the Progressives to the anti-war movement, to community activists, union stalwarts, and resistance efforts across Native nations and Black and Brown communities, there are so many we can learn from.

The climate movement must rejoin that larger tradition of struggle—one that understands that how we win is through bravery, solidarity, and a refusal to just submit to fascist rule. And that effort begins now, including with the power we still hold. The Biden-Harris administration has less than three months left in office, and this is our first opportunity to cement and defend the progress made over the past four years,  even as we prepare for the long resistance ahead.

Three Steps We Can Take Now to Preserve Climate Progress

1. Consolidate Our Wins 

It is time for the lame duck Biden administration to take as many protective actions as it can, and to clear away as many tools as possible that the Trump administration could use to undo them. Most importantly, President Biden can work with the Department of Energy to conclusively determine that liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are not in the public interest. This, alone, could significantly curb unnecessary, reckless fossil fuel expansion. As President Biden closes out his term and cements his strong climate legacy, he must emphasize clean energy is our future—not more polluting projects in vulnerable communities.

There is much President Biden can do, including:

• Finalize pending studies from DOE detailing the impacts of LNG export terminals, laying the groundwork to find them Not in the Public Interest
• Reject all five remaining LNG projects with pending export authorizations before DOE
• Protect progress by swiftly appointing fair judges before Trump takes office
• Finalize approvals of crucial state regulations, including California’s vehicle standards and innovative decarbonization programs
• Finalize remaining key regulations where the risk of Congressional repeal is low
• Maximize the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act by disbursing all funds, finalizing contracts, and issuing essential guidance documents, including for the emerging hydrogen industry
• Work with federal mortgage regulators to finalize federal mortgage rules that will clean up the building sector
• Ensure that the U.S. Department of Justice takes positions defending this progress in court, now
• Direct federal agencies to remove outdated guidance that would otherwise be used to attack climate action, including removing outdated EPA guidance that favors fossil fuels in permitting decisions and DOT policies that favor highway expansion over transit
• Commence discussions with international partners, immediately, to support available climate funding transfers and international agreements where possible 

2. Enable State, Local, and Private Climate Leadership

Both the president and the movement can make a big, final push to enable state, local, and private leadership that will be needed in the years ahead. The truth is that the states have always had primary authority over much of climate progress, with influential oversight over pollution from the power sector, transportation, and industrial sources.

Likewise, the private sector and its investment choices influence the pace of progress. Now is the time for White House conferences to lock in state and private commitments, no matter what the next president, in his rage, tries to undo. Critically, the White House can expedite the approval and implementation of crucial pending state policies, like New York’s paused congestion pricing program, and California’s vehicle and zero-emission appliance standards. 

The White House can encourage auto, utility, and industrial leaders to commit to decarbonization, even if federal regulations stall. They should work to forge voluntary, contractual commitments (including with interested state governments), and memoranda of understanding, ensuring corporate leaders maintain progress and compliance with key state and federal regulations in each sector.

While not all sectors will agree in the fewer than 90 remaining days of this administration, we can initiate discussions, prepare states for continued work, and lay the groundwork for future deals, as the costs of inaction become evident. Now is the time for governors, and C-suite executives, to feel deep pressure to recommit to progress. The president can secure those commitments and channel federal funds and policies to support them. 

These actions are critical. Governors, both climate champions and those leading red and purple states, must now act. They, along with state legislators and local leaders, should enact policies to protect climate progress and capitalize on clean technology. This country is made up of states, cities, and counties. Each of those governments matters now. Evergreen will work with them to stand up joint statements of action, clear legislative proposals, budget decisions, and legal agendas to protect progress. 

3. Build Cross-Movement Power and Solidarity 

Moving forward, cross-movement solidarity is essential to protect our communities and foster a network of subnational power to ensure our collective progress. Whether it is litigating in state and federal court, holding corporations accountable to their publicly stated climate goals, or working with champions in Congress to defend the Inflation Reduction Act from attack, we need to amplify our power now. For the next ninety days, movement groups will convene, plan, and be ready for the new era we face.

Trump has secured power before. And he has failed to shape the country to his liking before. Our country remains diverse, vibrant, and progressive, and our movement remains strong. We can overcome his brittle, desperate, need for control. He will try again, and we will have to use all our tools to make sure he fails. It is time to take a breath, look down the long arc of history ahead of us, and behind us, and keep walking, hand in hand, toward justice.