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Nazrin Abdul

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US President Donald Trump has overturned a landmark Obama-era scientific determination that forms the legal basis for federal actions to curb greenhouse gas emissions, AzerNEWS reports, citing BBC.

The 2009 “endangerment finding” had concluded that a range of greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and had served as the foundation for federal climate regulations, particularly targeting vehicle emissions.

The White House described the move as the “largest deregulation in American history”, claiming it will lower manufacturing costs for automakers by approximately $2,400 per vehicle and make cars more affordable for consumers. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the original ruling was “a disastrous Obama-era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers.” He also criticized the broader Democratic climate agenda, labeling it the “Green New Scam.”

Environmental groups called the rollback the most significant federal climate change rollback to date and signaled plans to challenge it in court. Former President Barack Obama criticized the repeal, warning it would make Americans “less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change - all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.”

The move marks a major shift in US climate policy, affecting vehicle emissions standards and the broader regulatory framework for addressing global warming. Analysts say the decision could have long-term implications for both environmental policy and the auto industry.