News / Politics

White House rejects Supreme Court ruling on Obama’s climate plan

Wednesday, 10 February 2016 6:07 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 10 February 2016 6:08 AM ]

US President Barack Obama delivers remarks at a Clean Power Plan event at the White House in Washington, DC, August 3, 2015. Obama described climate change as one of the key challenges of our time as he announced the first ever limits on US power plant emissions. (AFP photo)

The White House has played down the Supreme Court’s decision to halt President Barack Obama's sweeping climate rules for power plants.

"We disagree with the Supreme Court's decision to stay the Clean Power Plan while litigation proceeds," the White House said in a statement Tuesday evening.

In a 5-4 ruling on Tuesday, the Supreme Court agreed to block the enforcement of Obama’s emission plan and the historic global accord to fight climate change reached in Paris last December.

The high court halted the emission regulation until a federal appeals court rules on the merits of arguments by 29 states and dozens of industry opponents.

The move is a victory for opposing states and industry groups that call the centerpiece of Obama’s climate agenda "an unprecedented power grab."

Under the new rules, carbon dioxide emissions from power plants must be reduced by 32 percent by 2030.

White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said the plan was based on a strong legal and technical basis, and gave the states time to develop “cost-effective plans” to reduce carbon emissions.

He also said the administration would continue to “take aggressive steps” to address the climate change.

Last December, President Obama vetoed two pieces of legislation which sought to block his Clean Power Plan.

Many scientists believe that greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from carbon dioxide, are causing the earth’s temperatures to rise.

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