These are the environmental rules that will likely outlive Trump

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: President-elect Donald Trump may struggle to undo Biden’s energy efficiency standards, which target appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners
• These rules, designed to cut billions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save consumers money, are protected by a federal law preventing rollback
• Trump could slow progress by delaying updates or supporting legal challenges

🔭 The context: Biden’s administration updated standards for two dozen appliances, with projected savings of $270 billion for U.S. households over 20 years
• Energy efficiency, backed by the 1975 Energy Policy and Conservation Act, has been a cornerstone of reducing emissions from buildings, which account for nearly a third of U.S. emissions
• Trump’s earlier attempts to undermine similar rules largely failed, as manufacturers continued making efficient products

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Efficiency improvements are among the fastest ways to cut emissions and fight climate change
• Doubling global efficiency efforts could have the largest immediate impact on reducing emissions by 2030
• These rules also save energy and reduce costs, especially for low-income households and renters

⏭️ What's next: Trump’s administration could weaken standards by halting new updates, creating loopholes, or dropping legal defenses of Biden-era rules
• Manufacturers, however, may resist reverting to old standards due to high costs of changing production lines
• Lawsuits and court rulings will likely shape the future of these regulations

💬 One quote: “The law has an anti-backsliding clause that’s very strong. It says that no new standard can be weaker than the existing standard” — Andrew deLaski, Appliance Standards Awareness Project

📈 One stat: Biden’s efficiency rules are expected to cut emissions equivalent to 18 million cars annually and save $107 per household each year on utility bills

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