Supreme Disarray for the Global Climate Agenda

Overshadowed by the presidential primary in New Hampshire, the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday dealt a potentially devastating blow to President Barack Obama’s climate-rescue plan to cut carbon emissions from power plants.

Few observers expected the court to act so quickly, and aggressively, to block the new Environmental Protection Agency rules. The move may have the added effect of throwing a wrench into global climate change efforts that turn in large part on American leadership.

At issue is Obama's Clean Power Plan, which requires states and utilities to use less coal in favor of electricity derived from wind, solar, and natural gas. The plan, Obama’s signature climate initiative, aims to cut carbon output from power plants to less than 2005 levels. The goal of the plan, finalized last summer, is to be reached by 2030.