Trump Revokes Major Climate Ruling, Calling It a 'Scam'
In a bold move, former President Donald Trump has revoked a pivotal scientific ruling that has been central to the United States' efforts to combat greenhouse gas emissions. The action targets the 2009 endangerment finding, established during Barack Obama's administration, which declared carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as threats to public health and welfare.
This declaration serves as the legal foundation for nearly all climate change regulations under the Clean Air Act, affecting sectors such as motor vehicles, power plants, and various pollution sources. Trump, however, has boasted that rescinding it represents 'the single largest deregulatory action in American history, by far,' and labeled it 'one of the greatest scams in history.'
Economic and Environmental Implications
The White House asserts that overturning this regulation will save more than $1 trillion, reduce energy and transport prices, and cut manufacturers' costs by $2,400 per vehicle. Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a former member of the US Department of Transportation under Trump's first term, explained to the BBC that the economic burden of such regulations has driven manufacturing overseas, often to countries like China where production methods are less environmentally friendly.
She argued, 'To say that we're reducing global emissions by ending energy-intensive manufacturing in some countries, then having it go to China and India, where it's made in a dirtier way, does not reduce global emissions.'
Regulatory Overreach and Future Actions
EPA administrator Lee Zeldin has dubbed the endangerment finding 'the Holy Grail of federal regulatory overreach.' Experts warn that Trump's decision could lead to further actions, such as repealing greenhouse emission standards for vehicles and undoing climate regulations on stationary sources like power plants and oil and gas facilities.
Environmental groups have condemned the move, describing it as the most significant attack in US history against federal authority to address climate change. They emphasize that scientific evidence supporting the endangerment finding has only strengthened over the 17 years since its approval.
Additional Regulatory Changes
In related developments, the EPA has announced plans to propose a two-year delay to a Biden-era rule that restricts greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks. Additionally, the agency will end tax credits for automakers who install automatic start-stop ignition systems, devices intended to reduce emissions but criticized by Zeldin as universally disliked.
Gina McCarthy, a former EPA administrator and White House climate adviser under the Biden administration, called the Trump administration's actions reckless. She stated, 'This EPA would rather spend its time in court working for the fossil fuel industry than protecting us from pollution and the escalating impacts of climate change.' McCarthy added that the EPA has a clear scientific and legal obligation to regulate greenhouse gases, noting that the health and environmental hazards of climate change have 'become impossible to ignore.'
Context of Climate Extremes
The decision comes amid a backdrop of costly climate-related events in 2025, including wildfires, cyclones, and floods across the globe, with damages totaling billions of dollars. These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges and financial impacts of climate change, underscoring the debate over regulatory approaches.
