Trump topples the last pillar of Biden’s climate agenda

Trump is set to dismantle the final piece of Biden's climate agenda, according to recent wire material. Coal, the dirtiest of major energy sources, is responsible for nearly half of global carbon emissions since the industrial era began. For over two decades, the United States has been grappling with the decision to phase out coal power.

Attempts by both Obama and Biden administrations to speed up this phaseout have been thwarted, with the Supreme Court ruling against unilateral actions by presidents. The Biden administration's 2024 rule allowed utilities to either retire coal plants by the 2030s or install carbon capture technology, aiming to significantly reduce carbon emissions from the power sector.

However, the Trump administration plans to repeal this rule, arguing that climate science is uncertain and that the repeal would save consumers money on power bills. This move is seen as a setback for federal efforts to transition away from coal, with critics pointing out that the Obama and Biden rules have not notably accelerated decarbonization in the power sector.

The shift towards natural gas, lower costs of shale fracking, and the rise of AI demand for coal plants have contributed to the delay in coal phaseout. The repeal is expected to have implications for public health, potentially resulting in increased pollution-related deaths and health damages. Coal plants also emit harmful toxins like mercury and particulate matter.

Despite these challenges, environmental groups have raised concerns about the accuracy of the AI demand projections and the feasibility of carbon capture technologies. The next president will face a similar dilemma in addressing climate change, particularly regarding coal power.