US to stop collecting emissions data from country's biggest polluters

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on France24 or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The Trump administration announced Friday its intention to dismantle the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), a federal initiative tracking emissions from over 8,000 of the nation’s largest polluters
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims the programme constitutes “bureaucratic red tape” and plans to suspend data collection—except for methane—until 2034
• The decision is open for public comment before finalisation

🔭 The context: Established in 2010 under a congressional mandate, the GHGRP requires power plants, refineries, landfills, and oil and gas operators to report emissions data
• This programme covers around 85–90% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and has been pivotal in shaping regulatory and market responses
• Since its inception, reported emissions from industry have declined by 20%, largely due to coal plant closures
• Critics argue that ending the programme, despite its legal grounding, is part of a broader deregulatory push by President Trump, whose administration has prioritised fossil fuel development and scaled back environmental protections

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Removing this key emissions monitoring mechanism risks weakening climate accountability, obstructing evidence-based policy, and hindering international and domestic climate efforts
• Without transparent facility-level data, stakeholders—including regulators, investors, and communities—lose the ability to assess risks, enforce standards, or measure progress on emissions reduction
• The move may also undermine U.S. credibility in global climate reporting and emissions comparisons

⏭️ What's next: The EPA will accept public comments for over six weeks following the proposal’s publication in the Federal Register
• Environmental advocates, Democratic lawmakers, and several state attorneys general are expected to challenge the rollback, potentially in court
• Businesses relying on GHGRP data for voluntary disclosures and ESG reporting may need to seek alternative data sources or develop independent methodologies

💬 One quote: “Without [the GHGRP], policymakers, businesses and communities cannot make sound decisions about how to cut emissions and protect public health.” — Joseph Goffman, former EPA air policy chief under President Biden

📈 One stat: The GHGRP has tracked emissions from over 8,000 facilities, representing 85–90% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions since 2010

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