Latest news with #dioxide
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Al Jazeera
Trump administration moves to nix key finding on greenhouse gas emissions
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it plans to revoke a scientific finding on climate change that has served as the basis for key environmental and pollution regulations. In an interview on Tuesday, Lee Zeldin, President Donald Trump's pick to head the EPA, said that the agency would nix the 2009 'endangerment finding' that links emissions from motor vehicles to climate change and negative health impacts. Zeldin added that those who seek to reduce carbon emissions only highlight the negative effects. 'With regard to the endangerment finding, they'll say carbon dioxide is a pollutant and that's the end of it. They'll never acknowledge any type of benefit or need for carbon dioxide,' Zeldin told a right-wing podcast, Ruthless. 'It's important to note, and they don't, how important it is for the planet.' The 'endangerment finding' has been central to the justifications for regulating greenhouse gas emissions, including through vehicle emissions standards. The finding, issued under Democratic President Barack Obama, has become a frequent target of conservative lawmakers and fossil fuel companies, which have sought its repeal. Nevertheless, the 'endangerment finding' has withstood several legal challenges in court. Its revocation would be a continuation of the Trump administration's push to roll back environmental protections and slash regulations in the name of boosting the economy. The news agency Reuters reported last week that the EPA is also planning to scrap all greenhouse gas emissions standards on light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. In Tuesday's interview, Zeldin likewise positioned the repeal of the 'endangerment finding' as a boon to business. 'There are people who, in the name of climate change, are willing to bankrupt the country,' Zeldin said. 'They created this endangerment finding and then they are able to put all these regulations on vehicles, on airplanes, on stationary sources, to basically regulate out of existence, in many cases, a lot of segments of our economy.' Zeldin also touted the finding's revocation as the 'largest deregulatory action' in US history — and a potentially fatal blow to efforts to curb climate change. 'This has been referred to as basically driving a dagger into the heart of the climate change religion,' Zeldin said. A 2021 study from Harvard University's TH Chan School of Public Health found that a decrease in vehicle emissions helped bring the number of yearly deaths attributed to air pollution down from 27,700 in 2008 to 19,800 in 2017. The researchers credited that decline to a combination of federal regulations and technological improvements. They also noted that, if emissions had remained at the 2008 levels, the number of deaths would have instead risen to 48,200 by 2017. Supporters consider air pollution regulations to be a vital part of the effort to slow climate change and minimise adverse health effects. Trump, however, has defied scientific consensus on climate change and referred to it as a 'hoax'. Instead, he has pushed for the US to ramp up fossil fuel production, considered the primary contributor to climate change. Earlier this month, his energy secretary, Chris Wright, wrote a column for The Economist magazine arguing that climate change is 'not an existential crisis' but a 'byproduct of progress'. 'I am willing to take the modest negative trade-off for this legacy of human advancement,' Wright wrote. The United Nations has estimated that, between 2030 and 2050, climate change would contribute to 250,000 additional deaths per year, from issues related to tropical diseases like malaria, heat stress and food security.
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Trump effort to ditch greenhouse gas finding ignores ‘clearcut' science, expert says
One of the architects of a landmark 16-year-old finding on pollution's impact on health that the Trump administration now wants to eliminate says that doing so would ignore 'clearcut' science that has only become clearer today because of extreme weather. The Trump administration plans would sweep away the US government's legal authority to limit greenhouse gases in order to address the climate crisis. A proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would rescind the so-called 'endangerment finding', the federal government's 2009 conclusion that carbon dioxide, along with five other greenhouse gases, harm the health of Americans. The finding has underpinned the US government's legal authority to deal with the climate crisis under the Clean Air Act and its removal would effectively dismantle limits on the pollution coming from cars, trucks and power plants that is dangerously heating the world. Several sources confirmed the draft plan, which was first reported on by the New York Times. A former EPA official who oversaw the crafting of the endangerment finding said there was little doubt among government scientists about the harm caused by greenhouse gases, with their findings borne out by escalating temperatures and disasters since 2009. 'The science and the impacts were clear then and are only more clear today,' said Jason Burnett, who was associate deputy administrator of the EPA during George W Bush's administration. 'The science is clearcut, the impacts are clearcut and the law is clearcut. The challenge should be how we reduce emissions rather than debate whether there's a problem.' Donald Trump, who as president has moved to squash pollution rules, stymie clean energy and boost fossil fuel production, had ordered a review of the endangerment finding. Lee Zeldin, Trump's EPA administrator, said in March of the review that the administration 'will not sacrifice national prosperity, energy security, and the freedom of our people for an agenda that throttles our industries, our mobility and our consumer choice while benefiting adversaries overseas'. The endangerment finding followed a key 2007 supreme court ruling that greenhouse gases are pollutants that the EPA is obligated to regulate. A subsequent 210-page assessment by the EPA documented the growing evidence of harm caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases through heatwaves, stronger storms, strained water resources and impacts upon agricultural yields. Burnett said: 'When I was working on this 17 years ago, it was a question of future impacts but today we are seeing and feeling those impacts as devastating events. People are having their lives upturned by floods in Texas or fires in California or hurricanes in Florida and all of these things are made worse by climate change. What is most tragic to me is that this administration won't have any answer for those people.' An avalanche of scientific research since 2009 has underscored the multitude of harm caused by the climate crisis, with researchers repeatedly reaffirming the strengthening case of the endangerment finding during this period. Since the EPA's finding, eight of the 10 hottest years in recorded US history have occurred, along with more frequent extreme weather events that have helped spur 255 disasters that have each cost $1bn or more in damages. The US government's latest climate assessment in 2023, a report since yanked offline by the Trump administration, states that the 'effects of human-caused climate change are already far-reaching and worsening across every region of the United States'. It adds that 'without rapid and deep reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, the risks of accelerating sea level rise, intensifying extreme weather and other harmful climate impacts will continue to grow'. A repeal of the finding, however, would not only eliminate current limits to the pollution worsening this situation but also hamstring any future administration that sought to resurrect the US's effort to curb global heating. 'For the EPA to repeal the 2009 finding borders on criminal negligence,' said Robert Howarth, an environmental scientist at Cornell University. 'The science was clear in 2009 and has become much stronger and clearer since,' he added. 'Climate disruption is a large and growing problem, it is caused primarily from our use of fossil fuels and the resultant emissions of carbon dioxide and methane; and it is a deadly problem.' The EPA plan isn't expected to directly deny the overwhelming evidence of damage caused by planet-heating emissions, but rather claim that the agency doesn't have the legal authority under the Clean Air Act to make such a wide determination upon a group of different pollutants. The plan will also set in motion the reversal of regulations placed upon cars by Joe Biden's administration that were intended to slash emissions from transportation, the largest sectoral source of carbon pollution in the US. Currently, the rollbacks are listed as being under review by the White House. 'The proposal will be published for public notice and comment once it has completed interagency review and been signed by the administrator,' an EPA spokesperson said. The plan, once finalized, will almost certainly be legally challenged by environmental groups that will point to the 2007 supreme court ruling as compelling the endangerment finding. 'My view is the administration is very unlikely able to win this in litigation given they are operating on theories that are inconsistent with the way the EPA has dealt with matters for the past 50 years,' said Richard Revesz, an expert in environmental policy at the New York University School of Law. 'The legal grounds are very flimsy. But this will all take a lot of time and bring a lot of uncertainty to the landscape.' Should the finding be repealed, though, Revesz said the impact would be 'devastating' and compound other actions by the administration to eviscerate the EPA of scientists and reverse the agency's oversight of pollution. 'They are attacking all of the elements necessary to protect the health and safety of the American people, their actions will literally lead to tens of thousands of premature deaths every year,' he said. 'This is orders of magnitude more extreme than Donald Trump's first term.' Even if the scrapping of the endangerment rule is ultimately overturned by the courts, environmental groups warned that the reversal would have lingering impacts. 'The American people know that climate change is a threat to public health and welfare – not just because the science has been clear for decades, but because they can see it with their own eyes,' said Lena Moffitt, executive director of Evergreen Action, who called the EPA plan 'cruel and absurd'. 'This move won't hold up in court, but in the months or years it takes to work through the legal process, corporate polluters will be able to inflict irreversible damage that the rest of us will be paying for years to come,' she added.
New Straits Times
21-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Decarbonisation and digitalisation will redefine the nation's maritime industry
LETTERS: The Malaysia Maritime Week 2025 concluded successfully last week, marking a pivotal achievement in promoting national maritime agendas, encompassing sustainability, digital innovation and gender inclusivity within the industry. Currently, the maritime industry is experiencing a significant transformation, notably due to rising technology and growing demands for sustainability. The transformation necessitates that every industry player adapts, since it is no longer merely a matter of sustaining momentum, but rather of boosting performance. Currently, the Malaysian maritime industry is at a critical juncture, where two cutting-edge forces, decarbonisation and digitalisation are redefining the national maritime landscape. As global converge towards a more green and smart future, a critical debate persists, which should come first, decarbonisation or digitalisation? Decarbonisation denotes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide, originating from maritime operations. This directly addresses the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) aim to attain net-zero emissions in maritime industry by or approximately 2050. On the other hand, digitalisation entails the implementation of digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain and big data to improve operational efficiency, safety, and transparency within the maritime operations. Although both elements are vital to the industry's future, their prioritisation for implementation is frequently contested due to economic and regulatory challenges. Many assert that prioritising decarbonisation is crucial given the urgency of the climate agenda. Shipping activities account for around three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and without immediate action, this percentage may increase significantly as global trade expands. Moreover, regulatory pressure is mounting. The IMO has implemented a set of compulsory measures, including the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), compelling shipowners to utilize alternative fuels such as LNG, hydrogen, ammonia and methanol, retrofit vessels and so on. In this perspective, digitalization is auxiliary but not primary. Digitalisation is seen as the catalyst for decarbonisation. It serves merely as an instrument for quantifying and regulating emissions, rather than being the fundamental element of emission reduction. Digital technology can mitigate carbon emissions by enhancing energy efficiency and fostering green technology innovation. Viewing decarbonisation and digitisation as competing targets presents a misleading distinction. The maritime industry could benefit more from a simultaneous approach, driven by strategic phasing instead of favouring one option over another. In short, it needs the mutual dependency between digitisation and decarbonisation and all stakeholders i.e. governments, port authorities, and shipping companies must collaborate to expedite low-carbon solutions by enhancing technological capacity. By doing so, the industry can remain competitive, resilient, and sustainable amid ongoing global uncertainty. DR IZYAN MUNIRAH MOHD ZAIDEEN Senior lecturer Faculty of Maritime Studies
Observer
16-07-2025
- Business
- Observer
China cuts electricity emissions to record lows in 2025
LITTLETON, Colorado: Surging clean power supplies have allowed China's utilities to reduce their emissions from electricity production to record lows during the opening half of 2025. Carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity averaged 492 grammes during the opening half of 2025, according to data from energy portal That was the first ever reading below 500 grammes per kWh, and is down from 514g/kWh during the same period in 2024 and 539g/kWh from January to June 2023. A nearly 23% rise in clean power generation from January to June 2024 was the main driver behind the reduction in emissions intensity, as higher volumes of clean energy allowed power firms to reduce output from coal and gas power plants. Total power generation from thermal power plants — mainly coal — dropped by 4% from a year ago to just under 7,000 terawatt hours (TWh), data from LSEG shows. Output from clean energy sources from January to June totalled 2,400 TWh, highlighting that fossil fuel power sources still account for a 75% share of China's power generation mix. But the growth of clean energy supplies continues to sharply outpace growth in fossil fuel power generation, suggesting that China's power mix looks set to keep getting cleaner. Total Chinese clean power output during the first half of 2025 was 200% more than during the first half of 2019, according to LSEG. In contrast, total Chinese thermal power output from January to June 2025 was 20% greater than during the same period in 2019. China's power sector emissions from fossil fuel generation have declined in line with the cleaner mix. Total emissions from fossil fuels used in electricity production from January to May were 2.24 billion metric tonnes of CO2, according to data from energy think tank Ember. That total is 60.5 million tonnes less than during the same months of 2024, and is an indication that some progress is being made against Beijing's goals of reducing energy sector pollution. However, the enduring economic drag caused by a lingering property downturn as well as the uncertainty surrounding tariffs charged by the United States on Chinese goods is also impacting China's power needs and emissions totals. The pace of construction in China has slowed sharply so far this decade following a debt crisis among property developers, which in turn has choked off demand for energy-intensive goods such as cement, piping, glass and construction steel. More recently, the fresh tariffs on Chinese goods set by US President Donald Trump this year have hit demand for China-made products, and slowed production lines across several manufactured items. — Reuters
Reuters
16-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
China cuts electricity emissions to record lows in 2025
LITTLETON, Colorado, July 16 (Reuters) - Surging clean power supplies have allowed China's utilities to reduce their emissions from electricity production to record lows during the opening half of 2025. Carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity averaged 492 grams during the opening half of 2025, according to data from energy portal That was the first ever reading below 500 grams per kWh, and is down from 514g/kWh during the same period in 2024 and 539g/kWh from January to June 2023. A nearly 23% rise in clean power generation from January to June 2024 was the main driver behind the reduction in emissions intensity, as higher volumes of clean energy allowed power firms to reduce output from coal and gas power plants. Total power generation from thermal power plants - mainly coal - dropped by 4% from a year ago to just under 7,000 terawatt hours (TWh), data from LSEG shows. Output from clean energy sources from January to June totalled 2,400 TWh, highlighting that fossil fuel power sources still account for a 75% share of China's power generation mix. But the growth of clean energy supplies continues to sharply outpace growth in fossil fuel power generation, suggesting that China's power mix looks set to keep getting cleaner. Total Chinese clean power output during the first half of 2025 was 200% more than during the first half of 2019, according to LSEG. In contrast, total Chinese thermal power output from January to June 2025 was 20% greater than during the same period in 2019. China's power sector emissions from fossil fuel generation have declined in line with the cleaner mix. Total emissions from fossil fuels used in electricity production from January to May were 2.24 billion metric tons of CO2, according to data from energy think tank Ember. That total is 60.5 million tons less than during the same months of 2024, and is an indication that some progress is being made against Beijing's goals of reducing energy sector pollution. However, the enduring economic drag caused by a lingering property downturn as well as the uncertainty surrounding tariffs charged by the United States on Chinese goods is also impacting China's power needs and emissions totals. The pace of construction in China has slowed sharply so far this decade following a debt crisis among property developers, which in turn has choked off demand for energy-intensive goods such as cement, piping, glass and construction steel. More recently, the fresh tariffs on Chinese goods set by U.S. President Donald Trump this year have hit demand for China-made products, and slowed production lines across several manufactured items. Slower activity on construction sites and factory production lines has in turn reduced the overall power needs of both those industries, and allowed power generation firms to cut back on production as a result. If a recovery unfolds in the construction and manufacturing sectors going forward, China's overall power needs will increase in tow, and will likely spur a rebound in generation from pollution-emitting fossil fuels. But if China's economy remains chilled by construction debt and tariff worries, the country's use of fossil fuels will remain subdued, which could set the stage for further reductions in power sector emissions. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters. Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X, opens new tab.
