The Trump administration is aiming to reverse the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which legally classifies greenhouse gases as a threat to “public health and welfare of current and future generations,” and currently acts as the basis for emission regulations on vehicles and other pollutants, according to the Associated Press. On July 29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposal outlining how the rescission would “repeal all resulting greenhouse gas emissions regulations for motor vehicles and engines.” If finalized, the repeal could be massive step backwards for climate solutions in the United States.

Chris Wright, U.S. Secretary of Energy, described the proposed rescission in the EPA’s July 29 press release as a “monumental step toward returning to commonsense policies that expand access to affordable, reliable, secure energy and improve quality of life for all Americans.” According to the Associated Press, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin lauded the proposal as the “largest deregulatory action in the history of America.” Wright and Zeldin’s arguments focus on “customer choice” and short-term price reduction, while ignoring the negative health, safety, and economic impacts of climate change.

Numerous environmental organizations have expressed deep concern over the proposed rescission. The president of Earthjustice, an environmental law organization, released a statement just hours after the EPA’s proposal: “The EPA is telling us in no uncertain terms that U.S. efforts to address climate change are over.”The Sierra Club also released a response on July 29: “The Trump Administration has formalized climate denial as the official policy of the United States government.” Christy Goldfuss, the executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, warned that the recession would endanger “the nation’s safety and welfare.” Michael Mann, a climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, discussed the proposal on Democracy Now! on August 1. “It’s literally as if they think that if they stop measuring the state of our climate, our atmosphere, our oceans, if they stop measuring it, it will somehow go away,” Mann said.

Amidst flooding, wildfires, and record-breaking heat, the Trump administration’s rejection of climate science poses a serious global threat. By revoking the basis for greenhouse gas regulation, the EPA would be aggravating climate catastrophes worldwide. Zeldin justifies the rescission on grounds of affordability and tax concerns, even publicly questioned the credibility of the climate science behind the Endangerment Findings. However, the United States cannot remain safe or affordable if climate disasters continue to worsen rather than being addressed.