The Trump administration plans to unveil a proposal to undo the 2009 endangerment finding, which outlined the need for regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. Instead of challenging the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change, the administration will argue that the 2007 Supreme Court ruling allowed but did not require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gases.
The proposal, if successful, would represent President Donald Trump’s most sweeping attempt to dismantle climate change policies and push his “energy dominance” agenda. The move comes as the US is currently the second-largest polluter of carbon dioxide in the world, contributing over 1.3 degrees Celsius to global warming since the Industrial Revolution.
The EPA has taken a leading role in drafting the proposal, with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Justice Department also involved in shaping the document. The plan relies on a legal rather than scientific rationale to topple the endangerment finding, which will likely factor into court cases around the world.
The Trump administration’s efforts come as the United Nations International Court of Justice has ruled that climate change poses an “urgent and existential threat” and that countries must cooperate to keep temperatures from rising 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels.
Environmental groups have criticized the Trump administration’s plan, arguing that it prioritizes Big Oil interests over sound science and people’s health. The proposal is expected to be published for public notice and comment once it has completed interagency review and been signed by the EPA Administrator.
The move represents a significant blow to the US effort to halt global temperature rise and underscores the ongoing debate between climate scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders on how to address this pressing global issue.
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/23/trump-federal-law-greenhouse-gas-limits-00469911