US President Donald Trump has reversed a key Obama-era scientific ruling that underpins all federal actions on curbing planet-warming gases. The so-called 2009 'endangerment finding' concluded that a range of greenhouse gases were a threat to public health. It's become the legal bedrock of federal efforts to rein in emissions, especially in vehicles.
The White House called the reversal the 'largest deregulation in American history', saying it would make cars cheaper, bringing down costs for automakers by $2,400 per vehicle.
Environmental groups say the move is by far the most significant rollback on climate change yet attempted and are set to challenge it in the courts.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said the 2009 ruling was 'a disastrous Obama era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers'.
'Without it, we'll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money,' wrote former President Barack Obama on X, responding to the decision.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first took a stance on the impacts of greenhouse gases in 2009, deciding that six key planet-warming greenhouse gases were a danger to human health. The endangerment finding has served as the lynchpin of US regulation of greenhouse gases.
Advocates of the rollback argue that ending such regulations will stimulate the economy and reduce costs. However, skeptics within the environmental community warn of potential increases in fuel costs and detrimental health impacts, estimating possible increases in elevated death rates and respiratory issues.
As the Trump administration pushes these changes, opposition is expected to arise from various states and environmentalist groups, leading to possible legal challenges that could shape climate policy for years to come.
The White House called the reversal the 'largest deregulation in American history', saying it would make cars cheaper, bringing down costs for automakers by $2,400 per vehicle.
Environmental groups say the move is by far the most significant rollback on climate change yet attempted and are set to challenge it in the courts.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said the 2009 ruling was 'a disastrous Obama era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers'.
'Without it, we'll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money,' wrote former President Barack Obama on X, responding to the decision.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first took a stance on the impacts of greenhouse gases in 2009, deciding that six key planet-warming greenhouse gases were a danger to human health. The endangerment finding has served as the lynchpin of US regulation of greenhouse gases.
Advocates of the rollback argue that ending such regulations will stimulate the economy and reduce costs. However, skeptics within the environmental community warn of potential increases in fuel costs and detrimental health impacts, estimating possible increases in elevated death rates and respiratory issues.
As the Trump administration pushes these changes, opposition is expected to arise from various states and environmentalist groups, leading to possible legal challenges that could shape climate policy for years to come.
