In a major set-back to further innovation in clean technology and reducing the planet’s largest polluter’s GHG emissions, the US Supreme Court in a highly unprecedented move yesterday ruled to put a temporary block on Obama’s ‘Clean Power Plan’, as a result of a lawsuit from 29 states and the Energy Industry in the United States. This ‘backward looking’ ruling in complete contrast to the Paris UN Climate Change Conference (COP21, Dec 2015) further stymies progress toward improved local air quality and public health, mitigating the socio-economic risks posed from climate change to vulnerable and to developed economies, and employment in the renewable energy and clean-technology sectors.
The White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest commented that “the Clean Power Plan is based on a sound legal and technical foundation” and according to another official the #POTUS remains confident in the legality of his actions as advised by the Department of Justice, and that he intends to push forward on this and on other fronts such as Health Care, Immigration etc., where there is no short of litigation.
Source:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/09/climate-change-supreme-court-barack-obama-plan
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-carbon-idUSKCN0VI2A0
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/09/politics/supreme-court-obama-epa-climate-change/