GHGs and the U.S.

Regarding the letter to the editor by published in the SB Independent on July 21, 2022 and titled “Supreme Climate Folly,” the writer states: “What can one say about the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cannot regulate the release into our atmosphere of climate-changing gases? The court’s 6:3 majority said that this is properly a task for the U.S. Congress.” The reason stated in the court’s opinion is that our government agencies like the EPA can only enforce the laws passed by Congress. The United States is a country based on law — that is, not on the expertise of the government technocrats.

And while it may be true, as the writer states, “why is the U.S. so important in the movement to counter climate change? Because we caused most of it,” note the following:

A 2020 article in the Washington Post stated U.S. greenhouse gas emissions were set to drop to the lowest level in three decades. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/11/19/us-emissions-climate-bloombegnef/

In a list of the Top 5 most polluting countries at ActiveSustainability.com, China now emits 2.25 times the greenhouse gases as the United States does. https://www.activesustainability.com/environment/top-5-most-polluting-countries/?_adin=02021864894

And, in a Bloomberg News article from a few years ago, it is stated that the United States had led the world in the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions in 15 of the last 17 years.

Many millions of people and organizations are working diligently to reduce their greenhouse gases emissions, but they do not constantly issue press releases so you do not hear about their efforts. But their efforts are having a big cumulative effect which results in our nation leading the world in climate mitigation.