President Donald Trump on Thursday repealed the "danger finding" ruling, a 2009 text that had declared greenhouse gases harmful and that served as the cornerstone of limiting emissions. In addition, the Republican president eliminated federal standards on exhaust emissions from cars and trucks.
First modification: 02/12/2026 - 20:19 Last modification: 02/13/2026 - 00:18
This change of course, which will most likely be challenged in court, is a serious blow to climate action in the North American country, the main historical emitter of polluting substances.
The text, known as "Endangerment finding", allowed for a long list of environmental restrictions, starting from the fact that climate change, caused by the emission of greenhouse gases, was considered a fundamental threat.
"That determination had no factual basis, none at all, no legal basis," Trump said when announcing his decision at the White House.
This repeal frees the automobile industry from applying strict standards regarding gas emissions.
Trump and the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lee Zeldin, gave as an example the fact that American cars turn off their engines every time they come to a complete stop at a red light, thanks to current regulations.
Those types of measures, to reduce emissions, and also to save energy, were something "hated" by the consumer, Trump said.
This decision will save the American people $1.3 trillion, according to the Republican government.
Under President Obama
The text was initially adopted in 2009 by the EPA, under the presidency of Democrat Barack Obama.
It states that six greenhouse gases — including carbon dioxide and methane — are harmful to health and therefore fall within the scope of pollutants regulated by the federal agency.
A great defender of oil and coal, Trump has reversed course on climate issues since his return to power in January 2025, multiplying measures in favor of the fossil energy industry.
Announced in July, its desire to repeal the 2009 text has sparked the indignation of numerous scientists and environmental organizations.
"The scientific evidence regarding human-caused climate change and its consequences was unequivocal in 2009 and has since become even more alarming and compelling," recalled more than 1,000 experts in a public letter.
Trump also pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Americans will be "less safe, less healthy," former President Obama reacted.
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In the government's view, greenhouse gases should not be treated as pollutants in the traditional sense of the term, because their effects on human health are indirect and global, and greatly minimizes the role of human activities in climate change.
The matter could lead to a long court battle, even with the possibility of reaching the Supreme Court.
Climatologists have confirmed that the year 2025 has been the third warmest ever recorded on Earth, and that the effects of climate disruption are being felt across the United States and the rest of the world.
Despite these tangible manifestations, the fight against greenhouse gases has stalled for two years in the developed world due to a lack of sufficient investments in low-carbon technologies.
With AFP
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