01/07/2022 (Agence Europe) – The US Supreme Court, the highest court in the United States, ruled on Thursday 30 June that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not have the authority under the Clean Air Act to issue general rules to regulate emissions from coal-fired power plants. Adopted by the six conservative judges against the advice of their three more progressive counterparts, the decision calls into question the legitimacy of the federal agency. “Setting a limit on carbon dioxide emissions at a level that would require a national shift away from coal for electricity generation could prove to be a relevant solution for today’s crisis. But it is not credible that Congress would have given the EPA the authority to adopt a measure such as this”, the text states. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres deplored the decision, calling it a “setback” in the fight against climate change. (DG)