US Science Panel Says Greenhouse Gas Dangers Are ‘Beyond Dispute’
The National Academies affirmed the science behind the so-called endangerment finding, which the Trump administration hopes to revoke.
Emissions rise from a coal-fired power plant in West Virginia in 2018.
Photographer: Luke Sharrett/BloombergA panel of experts convened by the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine said the evidence that greenhouse gases harm human health is “beyond scientific dispute” — a conclusion that could impede the Trump administration as it seeks to roll back the federal government’s authority to regulate climate pollution.
In late July, the Environmental Protection Agency moved to rescind the endangerment finding, a determination made in 2009 that greenhouse gas emissions constitute a danger to public health and welfare. After the proposal, the National Academies launched a “fast-track” review of the relevant science. Its 137-page report, released Wednesday, was written to be submitted to the EPA as a comment on the proposal before the public comment period closes on Sept. 22.