With a global climate deal under negotiation in Paris, the Republican-led US Congress on Tuesday is expected to repeal White House regulations on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a move certain to spark President Barack Obama’s veto. Republicans on the floor said they deliberately held the votes the same day as the president’s remarks at an worldwide climate change conference in Paris to show the president faced opposition back home.
Advertisement
Republicans are targeting new Obama administration rules aimed at cutting carbon emissions from power plants, and are working to block federal dollars from supporting global climate efforts.
The House passed a pair of resolutions, largely along party lines, that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from implementing rules the administration released earlier this year to curb greenhouse gas emissions. COP stands for Conference of Parties, an annual United Nations forum to try to tackle climate change on a global political level. The measures now go to the White House, where they face almost-certain vetoes.
Obama listed several criteria for a potential agreement, including an “ambitious target” to reduce carbon output, a slate of tools to measure countries’ progress and a “legally binding” mechanism to ensure countries adhere to their carbon reduction commitments. “I am confident in the wisdom of the American people on that front”, Obama said. The bills would prohibit EPA from enforcing limits on electric utilities and coal plants.
And let’s hope Obama is wrong when he says a Democrat will succeed him. If their lawsuit succeeds, Obama would be hard-pressed to deliver the 26 percent to 28 percent cut in overall US emissions by 2030 that he has promised as America’s contribution.
Advertisement
Republicans have also threatened to undermine the United States’ participation in a climate accord by withholding funding for global climate initiatives and threatening to oppose any proposal that could be sent to Congress for ratification.
