An Environmental Giant in Crisis
The Sierra Club, a cornerstone of American environmentalism founded in 1892, is reportedly imploding. Longstanding members warn that intense internal conflicts over social justice issues have shattered the group's historic focus on nature, leading to a catastrophic exodus of supporters and donors.
The Tipping Point: From Trump Resistance to Broad Activism
Insiders trace the beginning of the turmoil to Donald Trump's first term a decade ago. Positioning itself in opposition to his environmental policy rollbacks proved initially successful, attracting a surge of new members and $2 million in donations within just two weeks.
However, leaders sought to capitalise on this influence by transforming the club into a broad umbrella activist group. The mission expanded beyond conservation to champion a range of progressive causes, including racial justice, gay rights, and immigration.
This ideological shift was enforced internally. Staff were issued an 'equity language guide' and reportedly scolded for not prioritising diversity. Veteran member Delia Malone had a complaint filed against her for suggesting the club lobby Colorado to protect wolves. "One of the staff said, 'That’s fine, Delia. But what do wolves have to do with equity, justice and inclusion?'" she recalled.
The Cost of Expansion and Internal Strife
The strategic pivot had significant financial and operational consequences:
- The club has lost 60 percent of its membership in the last six years.
- It is now facing a projected $40 million budget deficit.
- Multiple rounds of staff layoffs have failed to stabilise finances.
Earlier this year, the Sierra Club fired its first black executive director, Ben Jealous, the former president of the NAACP. Hired in 2022 to reverse the decline, his tenure was instead marked by accusations of sexual harassment, bullying, and overspending.
The financial strain was compounded by a rapid expansion of unionised staff, which saw salaries increase by over 30 percent in five years. Labour expenses doubled from 2016 to 2024.
Jim Dougherty, a Sierra Club director, raised alarms in 2019, stating, "We have two full-time employees devoted to Trump’s war on the Arctic refuge, and we have 108 going to D.E.I., and I don’t think we have our priorities straight." His was a lone voice of dissent on the board.
A Diminished Future
Donations dried up as traditional members felt alienated by the new focus. The loss of a unifying opponent after Trump's 2020 election defeat further accelerated the decline. In one month of 2022 alone, the club lost over 130,000 members.
Despite the crisis, the group's new executive director, Loren Blackford, stands by the hard shift to the left. "As long as climate change and environmental protection are viewed as just being concerns for a limited group of elites, we lose," she argued.
Yet, with Trump's return to the political forefront, the Sierra Club has not seen the same 'Trump bump' in support it experienced a decade ago, leaving its future as a powerful environmental force deeply uncertain.
