Climate and Society in 2026 - by Tacitus Gaia-Marx

 This is a spoken-word essay in two parts.

“Climate and Society in 2026.” Part One: Is Global Warming a Hoax? [11:54]

“Climate and Society in 2026.” Part Two: Justified Fear. [12:56]

Bio: After forestry college, Tacitus Gaia-Marx worked in the woodlands of the Pacific Northwest for decades, dedicating his life to environmental conservation and habitat preservation. When he was a young man dabbling in biology, physics, and philosophy, Tacitus grew to comprehend the importance of preserving all living matter at nature’s biodiverse core for planetary health. These spoken-word essays were inspired, in part, by family members who, ignoring social ethics and moral character, voted into power the 47th U.S. president. These essays might not be works for all time since administrations change, but they certainly represent a historical snapshot. History reveals truth for those not paying attention in the moment. 

Text and Spoken Words Copyright©2026 by Tacitus Gaia-Marx and ASEBL. All Rights Reserved.

SOURCES

 

- Einhorn, Catrin. “Administration to Convene ‘God Squad’ With Power to Override Environmental Law.” 16 March 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/climate/god-squad-whales-gulf-oil.html

- Friedman, Lisa, Max Bearak, and Jeanna Smialek. “Trump Officials Accused of Bullying Tactics to Kill a Climate Measure.” 6 November 2025. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/climate/trump-climate-international-bullying.html

- Friedman, Lisa, Brad Plumer, and Jack Healy. “Trump Administration to Break Up Premier Weather and Climate Research Center.” 17 December 2025. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/climate/national-center-for-atmospheric-research-trump.html

- Friedman, Lisa. “Under Trump, U.S. Adds Fuel to a Heating Planet. 12 January 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/climate/trump-climate-change-emissions-fuel.html

- Friedman, Lisa. “Trump Administration Erases the Government’s Power to Fight Climate Change.” 12 February 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/climate/trump-epa-greenhouse-gases-climate-change.html

- Friedman, Lisa. “24 States Sue the E.P.A. for Renouncing Its Power to Fight Climate Change.” 19 March 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/climate/epa-endangerment-states-lawsuit.html

- Friedman, Lisa. “EPA Chief to Headline Event by Group That Says There’s No Climate Crisis.” 20 March 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/climate/zeldin-epa-heartland-institute.html

- Friedman, Lisa and Harry Stevens. “How Lee Zeldin Shifted the Mission – and the Message – of the E.P.A.” 12 April 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/12/climate/lee-zeldin-epa-mission-language.html

- Healy, Jack. “A Trump Veto Leaves Republicans in Colorado Parched and Bewildered.” 17 January 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/us/politics/colorado-water-trump-veto.html

- Gelles, David. “How Wall Street Turned Its Back on Climate Change.” 17 January 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/climate/how-wall-street-turned-its-back-on-climate-change.html

- Howard, Hilary. “Fearing Chaos of Climate Change, Some Seek Answers in Virtual Classroom.” 21 March 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/21/nyregion/fearing-chaos-of-climate-change-some-seek-answers-in-virtual-classroom.html

- Joselow, Maxine. “E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved When Setting Rules on Air Pollution.” 12 January 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/climate/trump-epa-air-pollution.html 

- Joselow, Maxine. “Trump’s E.P.A. Has Put a Value on Human Life: Zero Dollars.” 21 January 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/climate/epa-human-life-value.html

- Joselow, Maxine. “Teddy Roosevelt’s Family Urges G.O.P. to Protect Public Lands.” 16 February 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/climate/theodore-roosevelt-family-boundary-waters.html

- Joselow, Maxine. “E.P.A. Weakens Limits on Mercury From Coal Plants.” 20 February 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/climate/epa-mercury-coal-plants.html

- Joselow, Maxine and Lisa Friedman. “Trump Administration Fires New Shot in Fight Over California Clean Car Rules. 12 March 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/climate/trump-california-tailpipe-emissions.html

- Joselow, Maxine. “E.P.A. Moves to Weaken Limits on a Cancer-Causing Gas.” 13 March 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/climate/epa-ethylene-oxide-cancer.html

- Joselow, Maxine and Brad Plumer. “Trump Administration to Pay $1 Billion to Energy Giant to Cancel Wind Farms.” 23 March 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/23/climate/offshore-wind-gas-trump-total.html

- Joselow, Maxine. “Senate Votes to Allow Mining Near Minnesota Wilderness.” 16 April 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/16/climate/boundary-waters-senate-vote.html

- Niiler, Eric. “Forest Service Will Close Research Stations That Study Wildlife Risk.” 3 April 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/climate/forest-service-research-stations.html

- Plumer, Brad and Lisa Friedman, Maxine Joselow, and Scott Dance. 22 December 2025. “How Trump’s First Year Reshaped U.S. Energy and Climate Policy.” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/22/climate/how-trumps-first-year-reshaped-us-energy-and-climate-policy.html - Revesz, Richard L. “The Trump Administration Now Thinks Clean Air Is Worthless.” 26 January 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/opinion/epa-air-pollution-asthma-deaths.html

- Sanger, David E., Tyler Pager, Katie Rogers, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs. “Trump Lays Out a Vision of Power Restrained Only by ‘My Own Morality.”’ 8 January 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/politics/trump-interview-power-morality.html

- Sengupta, Somini and Lisa Friedman. “Trump to World: Green Energy Is a Scam and Climate Science Is From ‘Stupid People.”’ 23 September 2025. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/climate/trump-climate-energy-united-nations-unga.html

- Sengupta, Somini and Lisa Friedman. 7 January 2026. “Trump Pulls Out of Global Climate Treaty.” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/climate/trump-un-climate-treaty.html

- Tabuchi, Hiroko. “Trump Promises Clean Water. Will He Clean Up ‘Forever Chemicals’?” 20 November 2024. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/climate/trump-pfas-lead-clean-water.html

- Tabuchi, Hiroko. “Historic Climate Change Rollback Makes U.S. a Global Outlier on Tailpipe Rules.” 16 February 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/climate/endangerment-finding-auto-emissions-regulations.html   

- VanSickle, Abbie. “Supreme Court Sides With Oil Companies in Louisiana Coastal Lawsuits.” 17 April 2026. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/us/politics/supreme-court-oil-louisiana.html

Copyright©2026 by Tacitus Gaia-Marx and ASEBL. All Rights Reserved.