A new American proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency rejects the climatic dangers of carbon emissions from power plants, arousing strong criticism from scientists who say that the complaint challenges decades of evidence.
Seth Borenstein reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- EPA under President Trump proposed that carbon emissions from power plants fueled by fossils do not contribute significant to dangerous air pollution.
- Nineteen of the 30 climate experts, health and the economy contacted by the AP have rejected the complaint, many of which compared it to the refusal of the health risks of smoking or arsenic.
- Scientists say that this decision ignores basic physics and chemistry and has serious risk to global health and climate stability.
Key quote:
“It is difficult to imagine a more stupid decision than to put the short-term interests of oil and gas companies before the long-term interests of our children and grandchildren.”
– Chris Field, climatologist of Stanford
Why this counts:
Carbon dioxide emissions in power plants are one of the main engines of climate change, and the United States play a central role in international emissions and efforts to reduce them. When government agencies reject established science, it can weaken global climate actionStalle progresses on clean energy and fuel disinformation. Gases trapping heat from the combustion of coal, oil and gas intensify extreme weather conditions, increase sea level and endanger public health – especially in vulnerable communities. These emissions also contribute to dangerous air pollution, which harms the lungs, hearts and developing children. Failure to comply with science in regulatory decisions can have lasting consequences for public health and the stability of the planet.