EPA to Stop Collecting and Publishing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it will no longer collect and publish annual greenhouse gas emissions from factories, refineries, and other facilities, violating a 15-year-old congressional requirement that left Americans in the dark about the worst-polluting facilities in the nation. This decision follows the EPA's proposal to deny that climate-changing pollution endangers human health and welfare, part of a broader trend of actions across the government to suppress climate science data.

Key Takeaways:

  • The EPA's decision to stop collecting and publishing greenhouse gas emissions data violates a clear congressional requirement, established 15 years ago.
  • The proposal aligns with the Trump administration's actions to suppress climate science data, which include firing scientific staff, shutting down websites with climate information, discontinuing satellites, and halting atmospheric research.
  • The EPA's decision will make it difficult for Americans to know which facilities are the worst polluters, leaving them without a crucial tool to hold industries accountable.
  • Public accountability and investor benchmarking have led many companies to reduce their climate pollution, but the EPA's decision will likely hinder these efforts.
  • David Doniger, senior strategist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), labeled the decision "another act of wanton climate destruction from the Trump administration."

Statistics:

  • 15 years: The length of time the EPA has been collecting and publishing greenhouse gas emissions data under a congressional requirement.
  • 15: The number of years Congress has ordered the EPA to collect and publish climate pollution data annually.
  • ≥15: The number of years that public accountability and investor benchmarking have led to reduced climate pollution among companies.
  • Unknown: The number of facilities that will be left without accountability for their greenhouse gas emissions due to the EPA's decision.

Sources:

  • Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): "Quoting David Doniger: 'Another Act of Climate Destruction'"
  • Actual quote from David Doniger