Rotten Digits Before the United Nations' Court of Justice
The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made a significant move in opposition to international guidelines and law, announcing its intention to rescind the 2009 "endangerment finding" that greenhouse gases (GHGs) pose a threat to public health. This decision, if implemented, would dismantle key climate protections and potentially exacerbate public health and environmental risks associated with rising GHG emissions.
The EPA's announcement was made just days after the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion in The Hague, which found that states have a legal obligation to pursue ambitious climate action. The move is seen as a rejection of the global community and a thumbing of noses at the UN court.
If the EPA rescinds the endangerment finding, it would effectively eliminate the legal foundation for regulating GHG emissions under the Clean Air Act. This would halt many existing and future climate regulations on vehicles, power plants, and industrial sources, potentially leading to increased emissions and undermining efforts to combat climate change.
The direct consequences of this decision include revoking emissions standards that have driven the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles. This could significantly slow their market share growth by 2032. The EPA claims the deregulatory action would save Americans over a trillion dollars by reducing compliance costs, but critics argue it ignores established climate science and public health risks, potentially increasing harm from climate change-induced events like floods and heat waves.
Legally, the EPA’s move is expected to face major challenges in courts, where prior attempts to overturn the endangerment finding have failed. The dispute could extend into the Supreme Court as late as 2028, creating years of regulatory uncertainty. Moreover, revocation is not simple, as the agency must legally justify overturning a long-standing scientific determination, and doing so might have unintended negative consequences for industries the EPA intends to benefit, by removing a regulatory basis that structures emissions reduction efforts.
The EPA's announcement is a significant action by the world's second-largest emitter. However, it's important to note that greenhouse gas emissions don't respect borders. The Trump administration's decision could have far-reaching implications on the global fight against climate change, as it sends a clear message about what the world's second-largest emitter thinks of international guidelines and law.
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- This decision by the EPA to rescind the 2009 endangerment finding contradicts the international court's advisory opinion on climate change, signaling a rejection of global community standards and the UN court.
- The rescinded endangerment finding would eliminate the foundation for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, potentially undermining environmental-science-based policy-and-legislation related to climate-change and public health.
- The move could have significant ramifications in the general-news arena, as the EPA's revocation of emissions standards for vehicles and power plants could slow the growth of electric and hybrid vehicles and worsen climate-change impacts such as floods and heat waves.
