Climate protection: US authority plans to do without emission data from companies

In the future, the US environmental authority EPA wants to refrain from demanding data about their greenhouse gas emissions from thousands of industrial companies in the country. “The program for reporting on greenhouse gases is nothing more than bureaucratic effort that does not contribute to the improvement of air quality,” Epa boss Lee Zeldin is quoted in a statement from his authority. By completing the program, US companies could save up to $ 2.4 billion in regulatory costs over the next ten years.

The program for recording the greenhouse gases was started in 2010 – and collects data from around 8,000 of the country’s largest industrial plants, including coal -fired power plants, oil refineries and steelworks. The information obtained from this influence political decisions and have also been passed on to the United Nations, which from the industrialized countries require data to emissions that influence climate change. According to China, the United States has again left the Paris climate agreement with the second largest issuer of greenhouse gases and under President Donald Trump – as already in his first term.

According to the information, certain oil and gas systems such as pipelines are not affected by stopping the reporting obligation. According to the “New York Times”, the proposal will be published in the federal register, the end of the program is expected to be sealed in the course of the coming year. Critics complain that stopping the program could hinder the fight against climate change – emissions could not be specifically reduced if their origin was unknown.

US government weakens climate protection

Since Trump’s taking office, the US government has been shortening rigorously funds for climate protection and research on the subject of global warming. The EPA announced at the end of July to lift a central scientific assessment of the dangers of greenhouse gases.

In the 2015 Paris climate agreement, around 200 countries agreed to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees compared to pre -industrial time – and, if possible, only 1.5 degrees. This is to avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis.

According to research, greenhouse gases are considered the main driver of man -made climate change. Since the late 19th century, the harmful emissions have led to a significant increase in global average temperature.