President Trump’s Day 1 Executive Order on “unleashing” American (fossil) energy has sparked controversy and concern, particularly with its directive to EPA administrator Zeldin to reevaluate the agency’s 2009 scientific determination of the harms caused by heat-trapping emissions. This evaluation is to be submitted within 30 days, raising questions about the future of climate change policy in the United States.
The Endangerment Finding, established in 2009, is a crucial component of the EPA’s ability to set standards to limit global warming pollution from vehicles, power plants, and oil and gas operations. It states that heat-trapping emissions harm people and the environment, providing a legal basis for the agency’s regulatory actions. President Trump’s directive to reevaluate this finding has raised concerns about the administration’s commitment to addressing climate change and protecting public health and welfare.
Critics of the administration’s actions argue that the science supporting the Endangerment Finding has only become more compelling and dire since 2009. Climate change, driven by rising heat-trapping emissions, is already causing significant harm to people’s health, ecosystems, and the economy. The need for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has never been more pressing.
The Endangerment Finding was established following a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2007, which mandated that heat-trapping emissions are air pollutants covered by the Clean Air Act. The EPA’s subsequent findings in 2009 confirmed that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare, leading to regulations aimed at reducing emissions from various sources.
President Trump’s directive to reevaluate the Endangerment Finding is seen as a thinly veiled attempt to undermine the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The administration’s ties to the fossil fuel industry have raised concerns about its commitment to science-based policy making and environmental protection.
In light of the latest climate science, which shows that the impacts of climate change are worsening and widespread, the need for strong regulatory action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is more urgent than ever. The National Climate Assessment and the IPCC sixth assessment report highlight the need for rapid reductions in emissions to limit future warming and associated risks.
Despite the administration’s efforts to roll back climate and clean energy policies, the reality of climate change cannot be ignored. The consequences of inaction are severe, with increasing risks of extreme weather events, sea level rise, and ecosystem degradation. The responsibility falls on leaders like Lee Zeldin to defend the science and protect public health and the environment.
As the administration continues to prioritize fossil fuel interests over environmental protection, the future of climate policy in the United States remains uncertain. The fight to uphold the Endangerment Finding and take meaningful action on climate change is more critical than ever. Only time will tell how this administration’s anti-science agenda will impact the future of our planet.
