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CO2: Pollutant or Fertilizer? The Supremes will decide

This is big: The Supreme Court has agreed to take on the long-simmering question of whether the Environmental Protection Agency must regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. Naturally, the American Petroleum Institute thinks the EPA has no such authority, but 12 states, including California, along with several cities and environmental groups contend that it does.

The argument dates back to 1999, when an environmental coalition asked the EPA to make a rule limiting greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks; when the agency refused after a four-year wait, the state of Massachusetts and the enviros took it to court. The EPA has won several sharply split decisions in various courts, most recently last summer, when the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals looked at Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. EPA and ruled 2-1 in favor of the administration.

Could this have consequences for California's own embattled, but rigorously reasonable, greenhouse gas law? The legislation authored by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley would require a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks by 2016.

The case hits the high court at an excellent time: Public awareness of the realities of climate change has never been higher. But that doesn't mean the public will win.

June 26, 2006 |

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Comments

Global warming has been hitting countries across the globe. Wether we like it or not it is the reality that we are going to face.

But there is still hope, if we just make one step at a time to solve this problem.

Going for Hybrid and Biofuels could be a great factor in reducing pollutants.

For 100% emission free, Electric Cars is the ultimate solution. Lets go for green and help save the planet.

Posted by:Green Cars | March 08, 2007 at 01:52 AM

IF CO2 is a pollutant then every human being and animal pollutes the environment just by existing.
So next the big govt/big corps would say that
culling the human population in the developing nations is a better logical solution..
According to World Bank the life of one person in the Western Industrialised nations is more valuable than those in developing countires..!!??!!! i'm not kidding they've actually audited it and come up with a figure...
Stop listening to this Co2 garbage ..why don't you talk about increased solar activity and planetary warming..
Why don't you write an article about that
the last person you should rely on for info is a politician...Do your own research

Posted by:KayD | March 09, 2007 at 01:58 AM

So confused a lot we are. Poverty is always the ultimate block in saving the world - causing lack of awareness and consequent repetition of old patterns. If we only multiplied in proportion to our resources we would have no need for no need for hopelessly flawed and shaky theories.
Visit my site for the real solution - the perfect world theory - http://www.theperfectworld.org

Posted by:Sanju Paison | June 27, 2008 at 09:53 AM

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