Earth Day Reflections: Clean Energy Is Winning

Recent federal actions have weakened key climate regulatory foundations, including changes that affect how greenhouse gas emissions from major sources such as vehicles and power plants are regulated. These shifts are creating uncertainty and slowing progress at the national level.

But that is not the whole story.

Across the country and right here in Michigan, people are continuing to organize, build, and demand action. Communities are advancing clean energy projects, installing solar, passing climate adaptation plans and working to hold decision makers accountable. People from all over are stepping into this work in meaningful ways. Even in this hostile environment, progress continues.

In 2025, the United States saw the strongest year on record for clean energy development, bringing more than 50 gigawatts of new solar, wind, and energy storage online. This continued a multi-year surge in clean energy growth, underscoring that the transition is still moving forward even amid policy uncertainty and shifting federal priorities. This progress is being driven by communities across the country who continue to push for solutions at the local level.

Here in Michigan, that progress is also visible. The state continues to add hundreds of megawatts of new solar capacity alongside broader renewable energy expansion. Today, Michigan has enough installed solar to power over four hundred thousand homes.

At the same time, communities across the state are also taking steps to prepare for a changing climate by developing climate action and adaptation plans, which help cities and regions respond to extreme weather, flooding risks, heat, and other local impacts. From large cities to smaller communities, local governments are increasingly integrating climate resilience into planning.

These changes do not happen in isolation. They are the result of sustained effort from advocates across the state. That kind of steady, collective work is what moves things forward.

What keeps us going

I think a lot about what it means to keep going in moments like these, and about the importance of building connection in everyday life. My mom, for example, has always created community wherever she is. She does it not through formal advocacy work, but through care, relationships, and simply showing up for people. That kind of connection is part of what makes any movement possible.

I see that same spirit reflected in our MiCAN network, in local organizations, grassroots partners, and steering committee members who continue to show up even when the path forward feels difficult. That kind of sustained effort turns ideas into action.
That is what gives me hope.

Because the truth is, we are the ones we need. The people already doing this work, and the people ready to step into it.

Join us

At MiCAN, we are part of a growing, welcoming movement of individuals, organizations, and communities across Michigan who are working for climate action and refusing to give up.
If you are looking for a place to plug in this year, we invite you to:

• Become a MiCAN member
• Join us at the Michigan Climate Summit
• Connect with the grassroots organizations building climate solutions across the state

No matter what is happening with those in power, there is meaningful work happening right now and there is a place for you in it.

The future is still being shaped, and it is shaped by all of us, showing up, together.