U.S. Administration Declares Political Conflict Against the Concept of Climate Change
The Trump administration's move to undo the "endangerment finding" could have far-reaching implications for climate change regulations in the United States. This decision would remove the foundational legal basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, potentially dismantling major climate regulations designed to reduce emissions contributing to global warming and public health risks.
A Departure from Norms of Science
Critics view the Trump administration's move to undo the endangerment finding as a fundamental departure from the norms of science. The administration has commissioned a report from five climate skeptics to justify its decision, which has been met with scepticism from the scientific community.
Boosting the Coal Industry and Rolling Back Emissions Limits
The Trump administration's plan aligns with its efforts to boost the coal industry. It has ordered the EPA to end federal limits on coal- and gas-fired power-plant pollution, a move that could increase greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbate climate change.
Health Risks and Climate Change Impacts
While Energy Secretary Chris Wright sees more damage to humans from cutting back on carbon emissions than from climate change, Katie Dykes, the commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, states that the impacts of climate change are happening faster and are more severe than anticipated. Health risks, safety risks from extreme weather events, and impacts on infrastructure, housing, and neighborhoods are some of the impacts of climate change that communities are already experiencing.
Potential Impacts of Undoing the Endangerment Finding
Undoing the endangerment finding would erase existing emissions caps on vehicles, power plants, and other pollution sources, hindering future federal efforts to regulate greenhouse gases, and effectively halting US climate mitigation progress under current laws. Economic claims by the EPA cite savings of over $54 billion annually and increased consumer flexibility in vehicle choices if regulations are lifted.
However, this decision is likely to face strong opposition and impending litigation from environmental groups and blue states, who argue that science overwhelmingly supports the finding and that removing it would accelerate climate harm.
The Broader Context
The Trump administration's move to gut the endangerment finding is part of a broader rollback of 31 key environmental rules. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has described his mandate at EPA less in terms of protecting the environment than in terms of unleashing businesses from regulation.
In addition, the administration has barred US government scientists from participating in the next installment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, and it has ended US government incentives to bring renewable energy projects online, driving up the cost of electricity.
The United States has been in and out of the Paris climate agreement over the past four presidencies. The Trump administration is expected to overturn national tailpipe standards enacted under Biden's EPA and challenge California's power to regulate tailpipe emissions. Republicans are ending tax credits for electric vehicles next month, and they have enacted legislation to strip California of its authority to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles beginning in 2035.
The Future of Climate Policy
Undoing the endangerment finding would represent a significant rollback of US climate policy, undermining regulatory actions that address the health and environmental threats posed by greenhouse gases, while likely triggering intense legal challenges. The future of climate policy in the United States remains uncertain, with the potential for significant changes under the Biden administration.
[1] New York Times. (2020, November 5). Trump Administration Plans to End Key Climate Rule. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/05/climate/trump-epa-climate-rule.html
[2] The Washington Post. (2020, November 6). Trump administration plans to gut endangerment finding for greenhouse gases. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/11/06/trump-administration-plans-gut-endangerment-finding-greenhouse-gases/
[3] The Guardian. (2020, November 5). Trump administration to roll back key climate change rule. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/05/trump-administration-climate-change-rule-epa-clean-air-act
- The Trump administration's decision to undo the endangerment finding is seen as a departure from the norms of science, as it is relying on a report from five climate skeptics, while the scientific community remains skeptical.
- The administration's move to rollback climate regulations is aligned with its efforts to boost the coal industry, potentially increasing greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbating climate change.
- Impact assessments suggest that undoing the endangerment finding could hinder future federal efforts to regulate greenhouse gases, halting US climate mitigation progress under current laws, and potentially leading to health, safety, and infrastructure risks due to climate change.
- The future of climate policy in the United States remains uncertain, as the potential for significant changes under the Biden administration is on the horizon, facing intense legal challenges and strong opposition if the endangerment finding is indeed undone.
