Automotive industry pleased with Trump's decision to lift greenhouse gas emissions cap

WashingtonDonald Trump has dealt a death blow to US regulations to combat climate change in the revoke the limitation on greenhouse gas emissions, known as the "discovery of danger." Specifically, the US president has eliminated a guideline approved during the Barack Obama administration that had served as the basis for emissions regulations for almost twenty years. Among other things, his decision means that the automotive industry is no longer subject to any federal regulations on the emissions of the vehicles it manufactures.

This is the most aggressive move Trump has made against measures to combat climate change since returning to the White House. During his first year in office, he already withdrew from the Paris Agreement and disengaged the United States from global efforts to curb global warming with Washington's withdrawal from a whole series of international groups, some of them linked to the United Nations"This is a major statement in American history," said the Republican on Thursday, who has always called the scientific evidence on the climate crisis a "hoax" and a "lie." According to White House projections, reversing the greenhouse gas cap will reduce regulatory costs by about $1.3 trillion, lowering the average price of vehicles. The measure has the support of the fossil fuel and energy industries, as well as the automotive lobby. The leading trade association for the oil and gas sector, the American Petroleum Institute, has welcomed the decision enthusiastically. "The decision ends the previous administration's electric vehicle regulations, which effectively banned new gasoline-powered vehicles and represented a clear case of regulatory overreach at the expense of American consumers," said Dustin Meyer, senior vice president for policy, economics, and regulatory affairs at the AME, in a statement.

The agricultural sector is also celebrating

Other agricultural groups, such as the Texas Vegetable Association, have also supported the measure, believing it will lower prices for both producers and consumers. Deregulation "will free Texas producers from burdensome expenses, restore competitiveness, and ensure the reliable movement of fresh produce throughout supply chains," wrote Jed Murray, the association's director of government relations. The "Statement of Danger," signed in 2009, determined that greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere constitute a "threat to the public health and well-being of present and future generations." Its revocation also dismantles one of the cornerstones of the fight against climate change and discredits scientific findings on the impact of emissions on the planet's health. Climate change groups and scientists have already condemned the measure. Some, like Earthjustice, an environmental law organization, have vowed to take the case to court. "The Trump administration is sacrificing our health, our safety, our economy, and our future by abandoning its fundamental responsibility to protect us from extreme weather and accelerating climate change," said Abbie Dillen, president of Earthjustice, in a statement, adding, "Trump in the courts." The American Lung Association also responded strongly, announcing it will challenge the decision. "This is a dark day for science and health," said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the organization.