US climate policy has taken a new direction after the Trump administration lifted restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.
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The decision repeals decarbonization rules adopted in 2024 under Joe Biden, creating more scope for the use of coal and natural gas in electricity generation.
The announcement was made yesterday in Houston, Texas, during a meeting of G20 energy ministers. The measure aims to restrict not only the current regulatory framework, but also the possibility of similar rules being adopted in the future.
Nearly a quarter of US greenhouse gas emissions come from the power generation sector. Historically, the country accounts for the largest cumulative contribution to air pollution.
Lee Zeldin, head of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said the Obama and Biden administrations had waged a “war on coal” for more than 15 years.
According to Zeldin, the Trump administration aims to protect the US energy sector and ensure affordable electricity prices for families.
The change comes at a time when the US has recorded its hottest summer ever and is facing widespread drought.
Meanwhile, demand for electricity is rising rapidly, driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence and energy-intensive data centers.
The Trump administration is also citing this increase in demand as an argument for boosting energy production from conventional sources.
