President Barack Obama announced Monday the finalization of a new plan designed to fight global warming through mandatory regulations on power plant emissions, hailing it "the biggest, most important step we have ever taken" in tackling climate change.
The Environmental Protection Agency's new Clean Power Plan requires U.S. power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 32 percent by the year 2030, relative to 2005 levels, and will take effect after Obama leaves office Jan. 20, 2017, reported USA Today.
"The Clean Power Plan establishes the first-ever national standards to limit carbon pollution from power plants," the administration said in a press release. "We already set limits that protect public health by reducing soot and other toxic emissions, but until now, existing power plants, the largest source of carbon emissions in the United States, could release as much carbon pollution as they wanted."
Coal-fired power plants provide more than a third of the U.S. electricity supply, but are also the largest contributors to atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, which is the main driver of global warming.
Carbon dioxide levels are the highest it has been in 800,000 years, and cause more cases of asthma and other diseases, Obama said, adding that fighting climate change will also protect the nation's economy and security.
Obama reminded Americans what could happen if the U.S. fails to take actions to combat climate change, but the next president will determine how and if the proposals are enforced. "I'm convinced no challenge provides a greater threat to the future of the planet," said Obama. "There is such a thing as being too late."
"We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change, and the last generation to be able to do something about it," said Obama, calling fighting climate change a "moral obligation."
Lawsuits are expected to be filed by energy interests who say Obama has exceeded his authority and waged a "war on coal" that will kill jobs, according to the Guardian.
Obama dismissed those tactics as mere "scaremongering" that won't stop the proposal.
"If we don't do it nobody will. America leads the way forward... that's what this plan is about. This is our moment to get something right and get something right for our kids," he said.
Republican presidential hopefuls were quick to voice their opposition. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said "climate change will not be solved by grabbing power from states or slowly hollowing out our economy," reported NBC News.
"The real challenge is how do we grow and prosper in order to foster more game-changing innovations and give us the resources we need to solve problems like this one," said Bush.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker vowed to stop the proposal, saying it should be called the "Costly Power Plan" because "it will cost hard-working Americans jobs and raise their energy rates."
However, 365 major businesses and investors wrote to 29 state governors encouraging their support of the plan, saying it would create jobs and help the economy, according to the Guardian.
Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton came out in support of the plan as well, saying it "drives investments in clean energy and energy efficiency, reduces asthma attacks and premature deaths, and promotes a healthier environment and a stronger economy." Clinton vowed to go even further if elected president.
