Supreme Court delivers devastating blow to US climate action
The US Supreme Court has delivered a severe blow today to the federal government’s ability to tackle the climate crisis.
Hours before breaking for summer recess, the justices announced a 6-3 ruling from its conservative majority in favour of the plaintiffs in the case, West Virginia v EPA.
It is a significant win for the plaintiffs, nearly two dozen Republican-leaning states and fossil fuel interests led by West Virginia, who argued for limits to government power in regulating greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants.
The decision caps off a near decade-long legal battle that started under the Obama administration and could kneecap President Joe Biden’s ambitious plans to slash domestic emissions, which he has pledged to cut in half by 2030.
This is a breaking story, more to follow
