U.S. Court rules that greenhouse gases are pollutants that endanger human health

In 2007 twelve states and several cities of the United States (California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington and the cities of New York, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C) won a case in the Supreme Court brought against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to force the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as pollutants.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington ruled this week that the EPA's decision that greenhouse gases are pollutants that endanger human health is valid.  Furthermore the court said that those opposed to the regulations, several states and industry groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Texas and Virginia, do not have the legal right to challenge EPA rules that specify when industries must comply with regulations for reducing emissions.

Comments

[Prof. RP Misra]

I am so glad to know that the US Court of Appeals ruled that greenhouse gases endanger human health and hence the Environmental Protection Agency had the legal right to put restrictions on states and industry groups to reduce emissions. There should be such laws in all countries - developed as well as developing. then and then alone the mission for which Rio meets take place will be accomplished.