Welcome to another edition of Climatebase Weekly (Tuesday, September 16th, 2025).

In today’s edition…

🌟 Featured climate jobs at 10+ new employers — Scroll down to view them all!

Don't see any that are a good fit for you? Head over to Climatebase to browse over 3k+ new jobs that have been posted in the last 24 hours. 

📅 Employers — join us for our next online career fair:

🌴 San Diego Climate Week — only a few weeks left before kick off:

🌎 This Week In Climate: Trump Disbands Climate Info Group, Canada Backs Off EV Mandates, Australia Issues Grim Risk Report

Quick reminders:

Just a few more weeks until the first annual San Diego Climate Week (Oct 1–8, 2025) — and it’s shaping up to be an incredible launch.

Here’s what to expect:

Excited to get involved? Here’s how:

Deadline for event submissions: September 24, 2025.

👉 See all ways to get involved: San Diego Climate Week website

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🌟 The Value for Employers:

📅 Upcoming job fair dates:

👉 Learn more and express interest in participating here!

Margaret Klein Salamon, Executive Director at the Climate Emergency Fund and a clinical psychologist turned climate activist, delivered a powerful keynote underscoring how facing climate truth fully, and together, unlocks the courage and urgency needed for transformative change. She shared her journey from a “climate freak out” to leading a global fund that supports high-impact activism, highlighting how emotions like fear, grief, and rage can be catalysts for action when faced together in community.Margaret emphasized the need to shift from “normal mode” to “emergency mode” in our daily lives and advocacy, underscoring the power of disruptive protest campaigns, rebranding climate issues for wider engagement, and balancing activism with self-care. Here are ways you can live that advice too:

Want to join the community? Apply to the next cohort of the Fellowship and learn more here.

By Julian Moore

Trump Admin Disbands Disinformation Group

 The Trump administration has dissolved a controversial climate working group of five researchers who questioned mainstream climate science after facing a lawsuit and overwhelming scientific pushback.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright disbanded the group in a September 3 letter to the five members: John Christy, Roy Spencer, Steven Koonin, Judith Curry, and Ross McKitrick. The Environmental Defense Fund and Union of Concerned Scientists sued, claiming the group violated federal advisory rules by operating in secret and deliberately representing one-sided arguments.

The group authored a draft report questioning climate change severity and impacts, which the administration used to support repealing a 2009 scientific finding that human-caused climate change endangers public health. Over 100 climate scientists coordinated to submit 400+ pages of critical public comments in response.

While the Energy Department won't withdraw the report, Wright acknowledged in his dissolution letter that the group achieved its goal of sparking debate. However, climate scientist Andrew Dessler believes the dissolution represents the administration "waving the white flag" when faced with scientific scrutiny they couldn't adequately address.

Canada Delays EV Mandates in Response to Tariffs

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has paused the requirement for 20% of new car sales to be electric by next year, while maintaining longer-term targets of 60% by 2030 and 100% by 2035. The move comes as Canada grapples with US trade pressures and economic challenges.

Carney announced new "Buy Canadian" policies prioritizing domestic goods for federal contracts and creating funds to help firms develop products. The decisions follow concerning economic indicators, including 66,000 jobs lost in August and unemployment rising to 7.1% - the highest since 2016 outside the pandemic.

The policy shift responds to President Trump's 25% tariffs on foreign vehicles and 35% blanket tariff on Canadian goods, though many remain exempt under trade agreements. Auto, steel, and aluminum sectors have been particularly affected.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Carney's "flip-flop" and "clumsy retreat," arguing it creates investment uncertainty. Canada has also dropped some retaliatory tariffs to restart trade talks, while providing support for canola farmers facing 75.8% Chinese duties in response to Canada's tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Australia Publishes Grim Climate Assessment

Australia's first National Climate Risk Assessment warns that 1.5 million coastal residents will face rising sea level risks by 2050, with no Australian community immune from "cascading, compounding and concurrent" climate hazards.

The landmark report examined three warming scenarios, noting Australia has already exceeded 1.5°C warming. At 3°C warming, heat-related deaths could rise over 400% in Sydney and nearly triple in Melbourne. The country faces intensifying floods, cyclones, heatwaves, droughts and bushfires beyond what has already been seen since 2019.

Northern Australia, remote communities and outer suburbs face particular risks. Property values could drop by A$611 billion, while iconic coral reefs like the Great Barrier Reef face increased bleaching from warmer oceans. The report warns of more heat deaths, poorer water quality, and strained emergency services.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said "the cost of inaction will always outweigh the cost of action," announcing a national adaptation plan. However, critics including the Climate Council called the findings "terrifying" and demanded higher emissions cuts beyond Australia's current 43% reduction target by 2030. 

California Passes Climate Compromise Bill

California Democrats approved a major climate package on Saturday that extends the state's cap-and-trade program for 15 years while also permitting additional oil drilling. 

The legislation came after months of negotiations and a weekend sprint past the original Friday deadline. The cap-and-trade system, which limits emissions and allows businesses to trade carbon permits, funds electric vehicle rebates, affordable housing, and the high-speed rail project through permit sales.

Governor Gavin Newsom had not initially prioritized cap-and-trade renewal but changed course after President Trump targeted California's environmental programs as a "threat to national security." The package represents a strategic response to Trump's attacks on state climate policies.

The most controversial element, Senate Bill 237, opens Central Valley areas to more drilling despite Democratic opposition to fossil fuels. Some lawmakers called it a "regulatory giveaway to Big Oil," while supporters argued it's part of a "managed transition" away from fossil fuels.

The package also includes utility reform measures and wildfire insurance provisions, with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas calling it "the most significant energy package in years."

Outgoing UN Chief: Defense Spending Pointless Without Climate

The UN's departing development chief, Achim Steiner, warns that increased defense spending will be ineffective unless Western governments also tackle the climate crisis in poor countries through international aid.

Steiner argues that climate breakdown poses a greater security threat than traditional military risks. "The greatest risk is not necessarily the territorial threat of a neighboring country's army," he said, but any of a few emerging threats like cyberterrorism, future pandemics and "most certainly the domino effect of runaway climate change," which can trigger migration crises and food price spikes that quickly become security issues.

Many nations are shortsightedly boosting defense budgets while slashing climate and development aid. The UK exemplifies this trend, raising defense spending to 2.5% of GDP while cutting international aid from 0.5% to 0.3%. Steiner warns this undermines the international cooperation essential for climate action.

He advocates integrating climate finance into national security strategies, noting that without climate cooperation with developing countries, wealthy nations lose control over interconnected global problems. Some countries are adopting this approach - Germany includes climate projects in defense infrastructure, while Spain earmarks €1.75bn of its defense budget for climate activities, recognizing climate action as fundamental to national security

Check out some of the latest featured jobs below. If you don't see anything that speaks to you, you can always go to Climatebase to explore over 50,000 new climate jobs.


RMP Global

“Transforming waste into sustainable and cost-effective infrastructure.”

The Good Food Institute Europe

“Advancing sustainable, plant-based, and cultivated meat to reduce food system's environmental impact in Europe.”

SolarApp Foundation

“Revolutionizing clean energy through automated permitting for faster, scalable residential solar installations.”

Interstate Renewable Energy Council

“Advancing a reliable, equitable, and resilient 100% clean energy future.”

Amply

“Revolutionizing heat pump design and sales to accelerate residential decarbonization”

Ascend Analytics

“Driving renewable energy transition with cutting-edge decision analytics for the power sector.”

Derapi, Inc.

“Simplifying secure access to distributed energy resources for a greener future.”

Gridium

“Hastening the transition to a low-carbon economy by optimizing commercial building energy use.”

Waterfront Alliance

“Championing resilient, accessible, and equitable waterways to combat sea level rise in New York Harbor.”

DG+Design

“"Empowering sustainable brands with clean energy marketing and creative expertise."”