The greenhouse gas pollution according to the Supreme Court of the United States
The US Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the Agency for Environmental Protection (EPA) of the United States and the Bush administration must now consider the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as pollutants or air contaminants, which therefore obliges the country to regulate emissions, according to the Clean Air Act.
This decision by the highest court in America does not directly affect the whole American policy in the field of climate change. But environmentalists were waiting to launch from the control of emissions from vehicles broader battle against global warming, the Bush administration refuses to undertake rather to protect the American economy. The United States annually emit 25% of global GHG emissions.
Entering through a dozen states on the initiative of Massachusetts, several large cities and environmental organizations, the Court had to determine whether the EPA had the authority to regulate emissions of four greenhouse gases, including CO2 emissions from new cars.
"Because greenhouse gases entering [in the legal definition] gas air pollution, we believe that the EPA has the legal authority to regulate emissions [these]," she replied in a decision rendered by five votes to four.
"The stubborn refusal of the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases runs in Massachusetts a real danger and imminent [...]. The dangers associated with climate change are serious and widely accepted, "said Court, whose decision has provoked a barrage of enthusiastic responses on the side of environmentalists and the new Democratic majority in Congress.
The stakes are economique is huge. Moreover, a spokesman for the White House, Dana Perino, said that the administration would "analyze" the consequences of the decision, while refuting that the government has never disputed the role of human activity in global warming. She also recalled that President Bush has already committed itself to reduce fuel consumption and increase the share of biofuels, which, however, will not suffice to solve the problem of huge emissions of the United States.
The US Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the Agency for Environmental Protection (EPA) of the United States and the Bush administration must now consider the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as pollutants or air contaminants, which therefore obliges the country to regulate emissions, according to the Clean Air Act.
This decision by the highest court in America does not directly affect the whole American policy in the field of climate change. But environmentalists were waiting to launch from the control of emissions from vehicles broader battle against global warming, the Bush administration refuses to undertake rather to protect the American economy. The United States annually emit 25% of global GHG emissions.
Entering through a dozen states on the initiative of Massachusetts, several large cities and environmental organizations, the Court had to determine whether the EPA had the authority to regulate emissions of four greenhouse gases, including CO2 emissions from new cars.
"Because greenhouse gases entering [in the legal definition] gas air pollution, we believe that the EPA has the legal authority to regulate emissions [these]," she replied in a decision rendered by five votes to four.
"The stubborn refusal of the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases runs in Massachusetts a real danger and imminent [...]. The dangers associated with climate change are serious and widely accepted, "said Court, whose decision has provoked a barrage of enthusiastic responses on the side of environmentalists and the new Democratic majority in Congress.
The stakes are economique is huge. Moreover, a spokesman for the White House, Dana Perino, said that the administration would "analyze" the consequences of the decision, while refuting that the government has never disputed the role of human activity in global warming. She also recalled that President Bush has already committed itself to reduce fuel consumption and increase the share of biofuels, which, however, will not suffice to solve the problem of huge emissions of the United States.
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8:08 AM
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