Did lawmakers know role of fossil fuels in climate change during Clean Air Act era?

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🗞️ Driving the news: A new study by Naomi Oreskes and colleagues reveals that lawmakers during the Clean Air Act era were aware of the link between carbon emissions and climate change
• The paper challenges the reasoning behind the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that limited the EPA's authority to regulate CO2, showing that CO2 was considered a pollutant as early as the 1950s and ’60s

🔭 The context: The study uncovers a century of forgotten scientific research linking carbon emissions to climate change, contradicting the Court's claim that lawmakers in 1970 were unaware of CO2's climate impact
• This misinterpretation has had lasting effects on environmental policy

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Understanding the historical intent behind environmental laws strengthens the case for regulating carbon emissions, which is crucial for combating climate change

⏭️ What's next: Oreskes plans a second paper focused on congressional testimonies that will further support the argument that CO2 was meant to be regulated under the Clean Air Act

💬 One quote: “When I read that line, I nearly had a heart attack,” said Oreskes, reacting to the Supreme Court’s interpretation of climate science history

📈 One stat: The Supreme Court's decision in *West Virginia v. EPA* restricts the agency’s ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants, a major source of global warming

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