Supreme Court Rules In Favor of Global Warming

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For years under the Bush administration, the Environmental Protection Agency has argued that it has no authority to regulate carbon emissions. Imagine that, the one government office in charge of–what other than protecting the environment–hasn’t been doing its job? Well, five Supreme Court justices ruled yesterday that carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases DO count as “air pollutants,” and are thus within EPA regulatory jurisdiction under the authority of the 1990 Clean Air Act.

A Supreme Day for Clean Air in America [PR Newswire]

What will this mean? It means the EPA is getting a slap on the wrist and will have to reexamine and limit the greenhouse gas pollution from new motor vehicles. While all the rest of the developing world has been working together to cooperate under Kyoto and producing cars with twice the mileage as US automakers, the wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world (with the most resources to concentrate on the problem) has not been held responsible for its contributions to global warming, and once and for all, we finally WILL be responsible for our vehicle emissions. The ruling should please California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, as it will empower him to enforce a law in that state that will require car manufacturers to produce lower-emission vehicles by 2009.

Environmental Defense (ED) President Fred Krupp said after the Supreme Court verdict Tuesday, “Today, the highest court in the land decided that the Clean Air Act clearly empowers the EPA to address the pressing problem of global warming pollution. Unfortunately, the EPA has refused to act and swift congressional action will be critical to ensure real progress. The Court did all it can, but if we’re really going to fix climate change, Congress has to pass a cap on global warming pollution, and soon.”

The high court also wrapped up an old Clinton-era lawsuit on Monday, Environmental Defense et al v. Duke Energy Corporation, in favor of ED, and in unanimous support of a federal initiative to install pollution controls at older coal power plants.

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