[Comprehensive] US Supreme Court Targets Climate Policy Following Abortion Rights Ruling: "Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations Not Allowed"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn the abortion rights that had been constitutionally guaranteed for about 50 years, it has now issued a ruling that blocks the Biden administration's greenhouse gas regulations. This inevitably disrupts President Joe Biden's climate change response roadmap, which aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half and expand the share of clean energy by 2030.

Concerns are mounting that global efforts to combat climate change will suffer setbacks. President Biden, who had positioned himself as a leader in climate change, has recently struggled to raise his voice on climate issues due to the energy supply crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

◇ U.S. Supreme Court Shifts Conservative: "No Authority to Regulate Greenhouse Gases"

On the 30th of last month (local time), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the government's plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants was an illegal overreach of authority. The ruling's core is that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not have the authority to broadly regulate greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Chief Justice John Roberts stated in the opinion, "Limiting carbon dioxide emissions to the extent that coal is no longer used nationwide for electricity production may be a wise solution to the current crisis," but added, "Decisions of such scale and impact must be made by Congress or agencies clearly delegated that responsibility by Congress."

This ruling is expected to be a direct blow to President Biden's goal of halving nationwide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the Biden administration has often used regulations instead of legislation to advance policy agendas amid congressional gridlock. Currently, power plants account for 30% of total carbon dioxide emissions.

Analysts also attribute the ruling to the Supreme Court's composition, which has clearly shifted conservative. Recently, the Court has issued conservative rulings, including overturning the federal abortion rights established in the 'Roe v. Wade' decision. The Washington Post (WP) reported, "The Supreme Court has overturned the Biden administration's environmental agenda," and noted that it "reinforces the conservative view that the Biden administration has been granted too much power to act without clear congressional authority." The nine-member Court consists of six conservatives and three liberals. Among the six conservatives, three were appointed during the Donald Trump administration, which decided to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.

◇ Biden Faces Deepening Dilemma

The Biden administration, which had made climate change response a key campaign promise, inevitably faces deepening challenges. President Biden raised his voice on climate change by signing several executive orders immediately after taking office, including rejoining the Paris Agreement.

However, this year, messages from President Biden on climate change have noticeably decreased. Domestically, soaring inflation and other economic issues, and internationally, the Ukraine crisis and China's rise have become major agendas.

Moreover, the energy supply crisis triggered by the Ukraine situation is causing countries to turn back to fossil fuels. A representative example is the discussion at the recent Group of Seven (G7) summit on public funding for overseas fossil fuel projects. With the Biden administration's greenhouse gas emission regulations, which had taken a leadership role, now hampered, there are concerns that global efforts to combat climate change will lose momentum.

Nonetheless, some analyses suggest that the Biden administration has not lost all regulatory tools due to this ruling. The White House stated in a spokesperson's release that "this could undermine the government's efforts to address climate change," but emphasized, "President Biden will not hesitate to use the authority granted by law to protect public health and respond to the climate crisis." The EPA also indicated that it will "make full use of its authority," suggesting that there are other tools besides greenhouse gas emission regulations.