US Court to hear emissions case

Thursday 29 June 2006

The Bush Administration could face a legal challenge over its regulation of carbon dioxide emissions as the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by Friends of the Earth US, numerous state and city authorities and NGOs. The groups are questioning a 2003 ruling by the Environmental Protection Agency that disavowed its jurisdiction under the Clean Air Act to regulate global warming carbon dioxide emissions.

If the court rules against the EPA, the legal status of carbon dioxide in the US would be clarified as climate changing – a position continually denied by the Bush Administration.

“This case could have far reaching consequences for climate change policy in the USA,” said Friends of the Earth International vice-chair, Tony Juniper. “The Bush Administration's has used scientific uncertainty as a major reason against taking structured action on global warming. Although this position has become more and more untenable, Bush seems determined to stick to it. If on the strength of the latest science the court correctly confirms that there is a proven link between carbon dioxide emissions and climate change, then a serious blow will be delivered to Whitehouse policy.”

"The Supreme Court's decision to hear this case could be a watershed moment in our fight to stop global warming,” added Friends of the Earth United States' Executive Director Norman Dean. “The US government's wait and see approach to global warming pollutants isn't working.”

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